Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for my absence but I had to step out of the meeting. Most of my questions have been answered. However, I have a few questions on the strategic plan. How much will the strategic plan cost? I ask the officials to again outline the following. At what point will we have the first look or draft in order that we can feed into it? Until we have the draft we will be talking in a vacuum.

In terms of Brexit and the UK's withdrawal from the EU, do the witnesses think that farm incomes or direct payments will be reduced in the next round of the CAP?

My next questions are on the strategic plan and its timeframe. Is it likely that the plan will lead to delayed payments? How can we avoid payments being delayed?

On the LEADER programme, has the way in which this programme operates been reviewed and who has been consulted in that review? Can we study the review to see if the amalgamation with the local authorities has worked in favour of people? I have two main criticisms of the LEADER project. First, there is the added bureaucracy. Some of the processes involved 17 or 19 steps, in the first instance, before one secured grant approval. I think that aspect has been addressed somewhat by officials.

Second, I am concerned that we have lost the opportunity for many good businesses to start up because the animation is not there that existed under other programmes. While the LEADER programme was with the local companies one was able to have a person work, at the pre-development stage, on developing the business on the ground. Has the scheme been evaluated?

I ask the officials to remind me again about how much money was provided by the last LEADER programme. How much money will be provided in the current LEADER programme? If all of the money within this LEADER programme is not spent or drawn down by the deadline, how will it be reallocated? When will the decision be made about reallocating the money? What criteria will be used for the reallocation?

As mentioned, simplification is one criterion that we are trying to address within this project. The introduction of salaries and different measures, even what we have talked about at this earlier stage, suggests to me that there will be even more bureaucracy than existed under the previous CAP programme. The added bureaucracy worries me.

I wish to ask the officials about the increased funding for the areas of natural constraint, ANC, scheme. The IFA or the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association, INHFA, called for €300 million to be added to the scheme to address the fact that an additional 4,000 farmers have joined the scheme. I cannot leave here without asking the officials what scheme will follow the agri-environment options scheme, AEOS. Many people have left AEOS and do not have anywhere to go.