Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2014
87. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will use its discretion to front-load the payments through CAP funding or, in principle, agree to front-loading the schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48584/14]
View answerIn July of 2013 I initiated a process of consultation with all farming organisations and other relevant stakeholders to ascertain their views on the most appropriate application of the Direct Payment Regulation in light of Ireland’s unique agricultural profile and circumstances. The results of this consultation process were taken into account when formulating the final shape of direct payments in Ireland for the period 2015 to 2019. These decisions were notified to the EU Commission on the 1st August, 2014 as required under EU Regulations.
The implementation of the new regime of direct payments is underway and the process of accepting applications under the various Schemes will begin very early in the New Year.
Analysis of the impact of the Redistributive Payment Scheme indicated that it would not involve a simple transfer of funds from those who currently hold high value entitlements to those who hold low entitlements. In many cases the transfer of funds under that scheme would counteract the benefits that farmers will obtain from the process of Internal Convergence. I have decided therefore that the redistribution of funds in Ireland should be managed through the Internal Convergence Model, a stepped five year process. This methodology is clear, predictable and easily tracked and achieves the stated objective of a gradual, phased redistribution of funds in a fair and objective manner.
