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

I have some brief questions before the Minister responds, although most issues have been very well highlighted and articulated. There has been a significant amount of discussion of the timescale for the CAP. Does the Minister expect a CAP deal to be completed within the lifetime of the current Commission?

Aside from the bigger issues that have been discussed here, the future availability of labour is the biggest challenge facing the agricultural sector. That may also feed into the CAP process. Are there any plans or does the Minister foresee any plans, possibly within a new CAP, for further encouragement of extra labour into the agricultural sector?