Martin Ferris
Ceist:208 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the submissions received as part of the consultation process on the CAP reform will be published; and, if so, when it is proposed to do so. [22207/03]
Written Answers. - Common Agricultural Policy.
Martin Ferris
Ceist:209 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when it is proposed to come to a final decision on the decoupling element of the CAP reform package agreed at Luxembourg. [22208/03]
Martin Ferris
Ceist:210 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of submissions which his Department has received as part of the consultation process on CAP reform. [22209/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 208 to 210, inclusive, together.
The agreement reached by the Council of Ministers on 26 June 2003 on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy provided, in the case of cattle, sheep and arable crops, for full decoupling of direct payments and for a number of options for partial decoupling. In early July, I launched a consultation process in which I invited the social partners and the wider public to submit their views on the most appropriate arrangements to apply in the Irish context. My Department has received 198 submissions, the majority of which are from individuals expressing concern about the impact of the Council's decisions on their own situations. The submissions were invited to assist me in the decision-making process and I do not propose to publish them. I am examining the submissions received at present with a view to making a decision in relation to these sectors in the near future.
In the case of direct payments in the dairy sector, while the relevant Council regulation provides for full decoupling only, it allows certain discretion to member states to decide on the timing of its introduction. In the interest of clarity, and to allow producers to take informed decisions in the period ahead about the sale and acquisition of quota and land and associated investment decisions, and having taken into account the views expressed to me by representatives of dairy producers, I have decided that full decoupling in the dairy sector should take effect from 1 January 2005. In order to ensure a consistent approach across the sectors, I have decided that the arrangements in the cattle, sheep and arable sectors, when decided upon, will also apply from 1 January 2005.