Vol. 517 No. 3
12 Mr. D. Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the outcome of his recent discussions with the United Kingdom Minister of Agriculture regarding reforms in the EU policy for sheepmeat; when the EU policy review is due for completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9712/00]
I had very useful meetings with the UK and French ministers of agriculture. I took the opportunity to raise with both of them the current market situation in the sheep sector and the need for reform of the sheepmeat regime. In particular, I stressed the need for a ewe premium system which reflects the significant differences in prices between member states and the need for an extensification premium for sheep. It was agreed that further discussions would take place on a technical basis to explore the preferred outcomes from the review of the operation of the ewe premium system which is currently being carried out by the EU Commission. The review is not expected to be completed until June and any proposals for reform are unlikely to be published before the autumn. I should point out that detailed discussions were held in January between my Department and one of the consultants undertaking the review and he was given a full analysis of the current regime and the adaptation and improvements required to meet Ireland's needs. The consultant was also given the opportunity to be briefed by the sheepmeat monitoring committee.
Does the Minister agree the current sheepmeat problem originated when he agreed to Agenda 2000 and turned his back on the sheep farmers of Ireland? The Minister knew, when he accepted extensification that sheep had to count for extensification but would not be paid for. On that night the Minister signed the death warrant of many sheep farms.
What does the Government want from the new survey? What did the Minster tell the consultant?
As the Deputy knows, sheep were not on Agenda 2000.
They were not on the Minister's agenda.
The social partners felt the outcome of the negotiations for Agenda 2000 was very fair.
Everyone except the sheep farmers.
I have raised the question of sheep at Council of Ministers meetings on a number of occasions and at the November meeting my proposal that a review be done was seconded by the UK Minister, Mr. Nick Brown.
We want equity in the ewe premium system; it is not fair that farmers in countries such as France, where sheep prices are 30% higher than in Ireland, get the same ewe premium as Irish farmers. We want the introduction of the extensification premium. It is not fair that sheep are included for numbers but not for payment. We want realignment of the stabiliser; there is no need for that. We want a technical coefficient; southern countries have lighter sheep than we have, yet they get the same premium. Finally, New Zealand imports are too great and must be reduced.
I understand what the Minister is trying to achieve. Would it be preferable if the EU ewe premium was calculated on a national rather than a European basis? If that is not acceptable, although French farmers seem to get away with a lot compared with Irish farmers who are good Europeans, could a top-up payment be paid to Irish farmers when the price paid to them falls below 90% of the EU average? Would that be an alternative to the present system?
Will the Minister put in place a retail price monitoring scheme for sheep meat? Has the question of the labelling of Irish lamb been raised at EU level? Would the labelling of Irish lamb, particularly heavy butcher's lamb or lamb processed in abattoirs, ensure Irish rather than imported lamb is consumed in Ireland?
There is need for reform of the sheep regime. I established a sheep industry review committee last year and a monitoring committee under Professor Crosby is engaged in drawing up recommendations for the future of the sheep industry. Sheep numbers have increased here, in the United Kingdom and particularly in Spain. New Zealand producers are able to undercut European farmers and we must ask how New Zealanders can transport sheep and lamb products from New Zealand to Europe and still undercut our producers. We recognise the problems and they are being examined. I have asked the EU to consider the questions of ewe premia better reflecting the difference in market prices in various member states and the payment of a supplementary ewe premium in member states such as Ireland, where prices are typically 85% less than the rest of Europe.
