Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We all know that the CAP is the foundation block for food security and the healthy production of food at affordable prices for consumers. However, CAP measures have been too prescriptive and they have been too much in one's face. A simplification process has to take place in respect of measures which farmers on the ground have to deal with and the Minister has to give priority to this. I know he will. Member states will now get more latitude and, while EU objectives will be set at Commission level, they will be tailored to suit participants. This will not involve self-funding but will allow flexibility in things such as setting ditches. Previously, if a farmer was off by millimetres he or she was penalised and nonsense such as that has to stop. As long a new ditch or fence is put in place it is grand because no one knows better than the farmer on the ground and no one cares more. Farmers have been penalised by 10%, 15% or 20% for nonsensical stuff.

The MFF is important in the context of filling the Brexit gap, which I call the hole in the bucket. There is now a hole of €30 billion in the EU budget and between €10 billion and €12 billion for agriculture. We are highly dependent on the €1.75 billion that comes in here but we must not start fooling people. The Minister has a difficult job. Some people here seem to think he just has to go over there and toss his cap for everything to work out. Politicians give the impression to people that this can happen but the representatives of the Dutch and Danish people, the Swedish and the Austrian people, say they are not prepared to put any more into the pot. We have to be realistic and tell people it is not a case of pushing a barrow downhill. In fact it is more liking pushing a barrow uphill.