Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I endorse my colleagues' points about the CAP. I would like to highlight a couple of aspects of this issue. It is absolutely vital for member states to realise that funding will have to be increased. The Irish Government has been clear on this issue and has led on it. If we want to pursue the 80:20 proposal, the agreement of all member states will be needed. It is really a question of priorities thereafter.

Most member states are willing to accept that the curtailment of certain existing policies is necessary. In terms of funding, questions arise around security, migration and youth employment. There is one area in which I have a real reservation. I believe the single biggest threat to the Union, notwithstanding the daily headlines on extremism and so on, is youth unemployment and the manner in which the European Union will deal with the next generations who have no memory of war or the concept underpinning the foundation of the European Coal and Steel Community which subsequently became the European Economic Community and European Union. The balance is still wrong and while the increase in funding for this area is to be welcomed, I would prefer a much greater emphasis on this issue.

As the negotiations proceed, we need to define what we mean by the funding of migration, the structures the EU wants to put in place and security in that context. While certain measures fully fit and are in harmony with our interests, in other areas Ireland will need to seek an agreement with the Commission to ensure neutral member states such as Ireland do not have a problem with certain aspects of EU funding. Perhaps Ms Brown will address this balance between some of the newer priority areas and the reason we are not seeing an even greater increase in funding to tackle youth unemployment, which could fundamentally undermine support for the EU across a host of member states over the period of the framework for this budget.