Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

If it were cut, would it be more appropriate or possible for the Government to top up pillar 1 payments directly instead of the State sending money to the European Union and only getting back 70% in the CAP budget?

The next issue I wish to raise was being discussed when I entered the room. Through the capping of payments, a scaling back to a figure between €60,000 and €100,000 is envisaged. Do I understand correctly that the scaling back only needs to be significant if we so choose under the proposals? Scaling back would still be something we needed to do, although, it is "shall" rather than "may" according to the communication.

The proposal sets out that, while actions would be taken by the farmer, particularly under pillar 2, the outcome, rather than the actions, would be measured. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy made a similar point. Do we have the details of how this would be done? The Commissioner used to say we did not want to be going around counting people's posts, how many metres of hedge they had planted and so on. If so, what are the practical means by which the outcome would be measured?