Vol. 515 No. 3
151 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will safeguard farmers interests against the reported EU Budget Commissioner's suggested reduction in grant aid to Irish farmers; if the Berlin package will be retained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6224/00]
The agricultural prices proposals for 2000-01 were agreed by the EU Commission on 23 February, 2000. The only proposal affecting Irish agriculture is the proposed reduction in the monthly increments on the cereals intervention price from one euro-tonne at present to 0.93 euro-tonne for the 2000-01 marketing year and 0.85 euro-tonne for the 2001-02 marketing year. The Commission has justified this proposal on the grounds that it is in line with the price cut for cereals decided under the Agenda 2000 agreement.
The Agenda 2000 agreement reached by the EU heads of Government in Berlin in March 1999 established the framework for the Common Agricultural Policy for the period 2000 to 2006 and any changes to that framework can be decided only by the Heads of Government. It is my firm position that there should be no dilution of the benefits to Irish agriculture from the Agenda 2000 agreement and I will maintain that position in forthcoming meetings of the Council of Ministers in relation to both the 2000-01 price proposals and any other proposals which the Commission may put forward.
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