Matt Carthy
Ceist:226. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he plans to resume convergence in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59291/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 1 December 2021
Ceisteanna (226)
Freagraí scríofa
Convergence is a feature of the current CAP and the new CAP proposals intend to continue with this policy. Ireland has supported this element of these proposals. Convergence aims to redistribute and flatten the value of CAP payment entitlements across Ireland and all Member States.
Under the current CAP, some €93million was redistributed from farmers with payment entitlements values above the national average to raise the value of payment entitlement held by farmers that were below the national average. This was implemented in a planned, phased manner over the five years of the Basic Payment Scheme and the steps of the convergence was notified to each farmer. This period of planned convergence ended in 2019 following its successful implementation.
My Department is currently finalising the arrangements for submission of Ireland's CAP strategic plan. In this plan, starting in 2023, convergence of payment entitlements values will continue. This process will see a minimum entitlement unit value of 85% of the average by 2026, carried out in equal steps over four years from 2023 to 2026.
By the time of my appointment in September 2020, there was insufficient time to put in place the IT infrastructure to allow for convergence to continue for 2021.
It has been critical to devote all available resources this year to ensure we have the correct operational infrastructure in place to finalise our CAP Strategic Plan, including the rate of convergence, and have it in place to ensure farmers will be able to draw down all payments in 2023. I am committed to delivering CAP Strategic Plan that is fair and farmer-friendly. I believe that the CAP Strategic Plan (2023 to 2027), including the rate of convergence, will be one that will deliver for Irish farm families.