Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the officials for appearing before the committee. Before touching on the CAP, I wish to question the EU-US high-level working group and the agreement to initiate internal procedures to launch the negotiations for a transatlantic trade and investment partnership. What impact could this have for exporting Irish beef to the US? Is there a timeline on those trade negotiations? What is the Irish dimension? I presume beef is the issue which would be of most interest to this committee.

In regard to the CAP, the MFF and the overall budget, that the total budget was cut by 7% while CAP was reduced by 3% is as good as one could have hoped for in the circumstances. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív said it was the first time there was a reduction in CAP but it also the first time there was a reduction in the overall budget. Given that the CAP reduction was not in the region of 7% but was less than half that is progress and we have to make do with the situation.

The witness said the implementation of new ecological focus areas will be done in a way that does not take land out of production and avoids unjustified income losses to farmers. Perhaps he would expand on that issue. As with all negotiations, much is probably done at the end, in the heat of battle, late at night. He mentioned moving on to the trilogues process. How will the Parliament be represented in that process? Mindful of the fact that at one stage there were 8,000 amendments which were trimmed down to about 3,000, that was more manageable. Perhaps the witness would let us know how he sees that as it could end up being unwieldy.

In regard to the desire to make the greening payment a percentage of a farmer's overall payment rather than a flat rate and the need to adjust the criteria, the witness said a proposal has been tabled.

Can the representatives of the Department expand on what the proposal is? The option to transfer up to 15% of funding between direct payments and rural development was mentioned and might be expanded on slightly also.