Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome and congratulate Mr. O'Driscoll and wish him the best of luck in the remainder of his career. I will start with the simplification of the CAP.

I completely agree with Deputy Ó Cuív in his analysis of the situation. Simplification, in my view, means simplifying everything and making it less bureaucratic but this has not happened. It has become even more bureaucratic over the past number of years. Will the mid-term review put a plan in place for simplification to make it less bureaucratic, more farmer-friendly and also more official-friendly? It has gone the opposite way. What are the plans to make it more farmer-friendly as well as more consumer-friendly?

On the superlevy situation, we have highlighted the issue and asked questions about milk and the superlevy. However, post quota, what is the current market outlook for dairy products? This time last year there were fears about where we might be going in that situation. What is the current situation?

I refer to the provision of fruit and milk to schools. Is there scope to utilise increased milk production and milk supplies post quota? The Secretary General referred to the TTIP negotiations in his opening statement. I am interested in the time scale for the negotiations. Mr. O'Driscoll mentioned the end of the year as a possible date but he was not overly-optimistic about that date. Is there an advantage from our point of view if negotiations dragged on a bit longer? From a political point of view, the American elections will be held in 2016. Would this have an effect on negotiations? Is there an advantage to have the negotiations continue beyond that date?

Mr. O'Driscoll referred to issues concerning the rural development programme. A number of sticking points arose. I ask Mr. O'Driscoll to elaborate. I agree with Mr. O'Driscoll's analysis that 2017 is a very short time span before the new programme. He is focused on where we need to be going in advance of the mid-term review. The main idea of the mid-term review has to be to make the process as simple as possible and more consumer and farmer-friendly. The same applies to the rural development programme. What were the main sticking points in negotiations with the Commission? Will there be a change of emphasis in that regard? What is the plan for the future?