Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 May 2010
91 Deputy Noel Treacy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his views on the single biggest challenge in the negotiations on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy post-2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21858/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraNegotiations on the CAP after 2013 are taking place against the background of an EU budget review and a new EU Financial Perspective for 2014 to 2020. The budget will determine the amount of funds available for the CAP and could also have an important impact on the distribution between Member States. There will be competing pressures for funds, including strong pressure from some sources for a smaller share of funds for CAP, both as a share of the budget and in absolute terms. Even though formal discussions have yet to commence on the future EU budget, the pressure is already building in this regard. An early draft Commission paper from November last advocated major policy changes and lower funds for the CAP. It is an early draft but it clearly indicates at least one strand of thinking on the future.
The major issue at present is the amount of funding that will be available for CAP after 2013, in view of pressures to reduce the EU budget, to reduce the share going to agriculture and to reduce the share going to Irish agriculture. The key context for Ireland is food supply and sustainable management of natural resources, including climate change. We need a coherent approach to this, based on the family farm structure. There is good support for the Irish position that we need a strong and properly funded CAP after 2013 and I will continue to press this point in the negotiations.
