Irish MEP Ciaran Mullooly has demanded concrete Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funding guarantees as pressure grows in budget negotiations.

He warned that bringing existing money forward cannot substitute for adequate funding throughout 2028–2034.

"The key word in this debate is 'concrete'. We need concrete figures, concrete legal commitments and a concrete explanation of what Irish farmers will receive over the full seven years," Mullooly said.

CAP

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, earlier this year proposed to make a further €45 billion available in the first year (2028) of the EU's next long-term budget for farm payments.

However, it is understood that this is not new money but is funding reserved for the mid-term review of the National and Regional Partnership Plans.

Mullooly said making the €45 billion funds available earlier "may help, and securing them for agriculture could improve the position of farmers".

"But changing when money becomes available does not increase the total amount available," Mullooly said.

"It is like a worker getting an advance on next week's wages. It helps this week, but the worker is entitled to ask what will be left next week.

"Farmers deserve the same clarity about the later years of the CAP."

Rural funding

Mullooly said the proposed rural funding target also requires a "detailed explanation".

"Funding for rural areas is valuable, but it is not automatically the same as funding for farmers," he said.

“We need to know Ireland’s allocation, what measures qualify, how much will reach agriculture and whether these amounts are genuinely additional to the support already being counted.

"Show what is protected for farm income, what is available for rural development and what remains for future pressures and crises.

"The same euro cannot be counted twice."

Structure of CAP

Mullooly reiterated his call for a "properly-funded" CAP with a protected two-pillar structure.

“Political letters must become binding commitments, and earlier access to existing funds must not be presented as a lasting increase in the budget," Mullooly said.

"The test is whether Irish farmers have adequate, predictable support throughout the seven-year period.

"That is the assurance we need before accepting any deal.”

'Fantasy' economics on CAP

Meanwhile, MEP Barry Cowen has heavily criticised fellow MEPs in the European Parliament for what he called "fantasy football" economics on the budget for the next CAP.

Earlier this year, the parliament agreed that it wanted to see a CAP budget for 2028-2034 of €433 billion.

The current budget on the table from the European Commission and the council of ministers is a far cry from this figure, at just around €295 billion - a cut of some 25% on the budget for the current CAP.

While the parliament has aimed high on the CAP budget, according to Cowen its members have not put forward credible suggestions on how to secure a higher budget.