Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 April 2018
170. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a report (details supplied) that the European Commission will propose a cut of 6% in CAP funding; and his further views on national co-funding of Pillar 1 or a higher co-funding of Pillar 2 to make up a shortfall in CAP funding as some farm organisations have proposed. [18481/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Budget Commissioner, Gunther Oettinger visited Dublin on 6 March 2018 as part of his tour of European capitals in advance of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) proposals being published on 2 May 2018.
During his appearance before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, he spoke of cuts to CAP and Cohesion of 5 - 10%. This was in the context of some Member States looking for cuts of up to 30% in these programmes. More recent media reports indicate that Commissioner Oettinger referred, at a trade Conference in Hannover, to a cut of approximately 6%.
In any event there will be greater clarity when the Commissioner's MFF proposals are published in the very near future. Even then, these proposals will be the subject of a negotiation between Member States, led by Finance Ministries and will ultimately have to be approved by the European Council and European Parliament. Against that background I am reluctant to comment in detail on proposals that have not yet been published.
Nonetheless, with regard to Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 supports, I am supportive of the continued commitment to fund Direct Payments and to maintain the two Pillar structure. Pillar 2 payments have always been co -funded by Member States. Ireland has always shown a strong commitment to supporting Pillar 2 payments and I expect that to continue.
I have already indicated that any proposals to permit co-funding pillar 1 payments have the potential to undermine the Single market. I do not believe that such a proposal would receive the necessary support from member states. In any event, I do not believe it would be prudent, before a difficult and sensitive negotiation, for member states to indicate that they are prepared to co-fund direct payments to make up for budget cuts.
