David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Mr. Healy had me until the last quote. I welcome both groups and the opportunity to discuss the future of the European Union. There will be an overlap with the questions put to the previous group as it is on the same topic. We discussed the same issues with the group which attended earlier.

It appears that there is consensus among the farming groups, which I welcome, that they would not favour a more federal Europe. That is something I support. Do they also agree that there is a need for more democracy in the European Union and that it needs to be a more social Europe which delivers more for citizens? Both groups mentioned Brexit as well as other issues which have given rise to concerns about the European Union. I want Ireland to remain within the Union and be at the heart of it, but it must be a European Union of which people want to be part and one which they see delivering for them. When we talk about reform, notwithstanding the big principles and the five questions posed as to what we want, are democracy and having a more social Europe in accordance with the delegates' values? That is the bigger vision of the European Union.

My second question is related to the CAP. Agriculture and the European Union have gone hand in hand in Ireland. The CAP is very important to the farming groups in terms of their relationship with the European Union and obviously agriculture is very important to Ireland. In the south east from where I come agriculture and the agribusiness sector are hugely important. Both groups stated funding levels under the CAP had been cut. Are they simply calling for the budget to be increased or are they calling for reform of the CAP? Depending on the farming organisation to which I talk, some focus more on simply increasing the budget, but others will state the CAP needs to be reformed because it is unfair and benefits a certain category of farmers over others. Is there a view among the delegates' organisations that the CAP needs to be reformed or is it simply the case that they want the budget to be increased? I acknowledge that they can only speak for their own groups, but it is a genuine question because the committee needs to understand the position. I have to be able to understand it because that will frame how I respond.

Regional development was mentioned. That issue cannot be divorced from the national planning framework, on the one hand, or from what is happening in the European Union, on the other. What are the views of the delegates on the national planning framework? Have their organisations made submissions on it? It is accepted by almost every organisations that there is a severe lack of capital investment in the State because of the inflexibility of the fiscal rules and how they are applied. IBEC, trade unions and others have been very vocal on the need to reform the fiscal rules to allow for greater investment in capital infrastructure which is one of the big asks in rural Ireland. Do the delegates' organisations have a view on the matter? It is obviously going to be part of reforming the European Union. Are the rules too rigid? Are they one-size-fits-all? Do they work, or do they need to be reformed? Have the organisations given the matter any thought?

As a party which represents people across the island, Sinn Féin is very concerned about the North of Ireland leaving the European Union on foot of Brexit. Having one part of the island in the European Union and one part outside is not good. Notwithstanding any positivity in the language from Britain or the European Union, we are still concerned about what the end product will be. What are the views of the delegates' respective organisations? Different sectors will be affected differently by Brexit. I can only set out my experience in the south east where I have met many agrifood business organisations which are affected by currency fluctuations most especially. They see Brexit as a real threat. Is the Government doing enough and are we doing enough politically, as it is not just about the Government, and as a country to protect different sectors against Brexit? What more could be done to protect the farming sector from all of the threats coming from Brexit? Are the farming and agrifood sectors challenged to a greater extent by it? What about the geographical considerations? For example, the south east is facing a big challenge. If the delegates' agree, what solutions should be put in place?