Vol. 538 No. 3
174 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will ensure that a fixed ewe premium is put in place; if he will base the premia on the calculation of livestock units bringing them proportionately in line with suckler cow payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18145/01]
The ewe premium forms part of the common organisation of the market in sheep meat. The EU Commission has recently presented its proposals for reform of the regime. The main element in these proposals is that the current variable ewe premium should be replaced by a fixed premium of 21.
Discussions on these proposals have just commenced in the Council. In these discussions I have pointed out to the Commission that the premium should be fixed at a level which ensures a reasonable income for sheep producers and which bears some reasonable relationship with the rate of premium payable in other sectors.
