Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 February 2013
565. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the proposed macroeconomic conditionality in the next round of EU funds will lead to a suspension of direct payments to farmers and any possible payments to fisherman if Ireland fails to meet the macroeconomic conditions. [6815/13]
View answerThe macro-economic conditionality proposed by the EU Commission under the next multi-annual financial framework is confined to those EU funds covered by the Common Strategic Framework, i.e. the structural, cohesion, rural development, maritime and fisheries funds. Thus there is no question of a suspension of direct payments to farmers if Ireland fails to meet the macro-economic conditions set.
The conditionality proposal does, however, cover the EU rural development, maritime and fisheries funds, and so these funds will be conditional on meeting the macro-economic requirements.
I should add that there are a number of checks and balances in place to ensure that the ultimate sanction of suspension of payments or commitments is taken only in extreme circumstances.
