Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is €300 million for the beef data and genomics programme out of the overall CAP programme, which was to run until the end of 2020. Because the genomics programme is a five -year programme, once one enters it, one must participate in the programme for five years. As the Department has already underspent and there are fewer than five years at this stage to the end of the programme, is the Minister saying that some of that €300 million will run past the end of 2020 into 2021, 2022? If so, it will run outside the timescale of the current CAP programme of 2015 to 2020. That being the case, the overall spending on the CAP programme over the 2015 to 2020 period will be reduced by the amount the Minister allowed to run over into 2021-2022. It would mean a lesser commitment from the Government in respect of the CAP programme than was originally committed to. The point I make is that it is exceptionally important the overall funding allocated to CAP at the outset is spent by the end of 2020. If there is an underspend in certain programmes inside that period, that money should be used and spent or reallocated as required to other initiatives. Should people enter the beef data and genomics scheme next year which will run into 2021-2022, the payment for the 2021-2022 beef data genomic payment should come from the subsequent CAP. The run over should not mean that the overall CAP envelope up to the end of 2020 is reduced. I do not see how the Minister is insistent that he will spend the €300 million on the beef data genomics programme that has been allocated to it. I simply do not see how that can happen logically unless the Minister spends some of that €300 million in 2021-2022.