The Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, has been called on to commit to a lowering of the Pillar 1 CAP ceiling payment from €150,000 down to €100,000 per farm, by Fianna Fail Agriculture Spokesman Charlie McConalogue
In fact, this was a commitment previously signed up to, but which the Government is now refusing to address and farmers will be very disappointed at this state of affairs, he said.
McConalogue believes that the reduction in the ceiling payments could allow the creation of a €5m fund.
This could be used to meet the needs of those producers under 40 years of age, who lost out on the opportunity to apply for the EU Young Farmer Scheme because they had previously been farming in their own right for five years.
The money could also be used to assist smaller farmers and other producers facing production-related challenges at the present time.
McConalague disagreed with the suggestion that the EU Commission would simply re-absorb the monies freed up by the proposed reduction in the maximum CAP ceiling back into the Brussels finance pool.
“I have already received a clear indication that the monies would be allowed stay in Ireland.
“The mid-term point of the current CAP is 2017. However, Minister Creed in a parliamentary question reply has washed his hands of this previous Programme for Government commitment.
“It appears as if he’s trying to push it further down the road, stating that the lowering of the CAP ceiling to €100,000 will be examined in the context of the future reform of the CAP.”
The next CAP will not start until 2021 by which time the current term of this government will have ended. This is yet another promise by a Fine Gael led Government to hard pressed farmers.
“This Government should be campaigning with like-minded Member States to have this issue addressed immediately and get it on the radar well in advance of the next CAP negotiations.
“Fianna Fail firmly supports reducing the payment ceiling of €150,000 to €100,000. By doing this, future CAP funds to farmers on small hectares with entitlements following the 10% cut in direct payments negotiated under the 2014-2020 CAP will be safeguarded.”