Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Savage for his presentation. I do not mean this as an insult or a criticism but there were not too many answers in it. I agree with the Chairman that I cannot see how we can get to the envisaged finish point in the timetable. Until Brexit is finalised, there will be little movement in the CAP negotiations. The first point is to get agreement on the budget. I cannot see how a budget can be agreed while Brexit is still up in the air.

Mr. Savage stated that we should be allowed to count our top-up investment grant support to young farmers as part of this 2% financial target. In the present seven-year CAP budget, how will this break down? Were the TAMS, targeted agricultural modernisation schemes, included in the young farmer allocation? If they were, what was the percentage breakdown between the top-up on the single farm payment and TAMS? If Mr. Savage does not have figures for this, will he pass them on to me?

Mr. Savage referred to an extension of national aid to Finland. Will he expand on this exemption and what relief it is getting in that regard? On several occasions before, I have raised market support schemes and aids to private storage, APS, and how disappointed I was to see the rules on intervention change in the middle of a CAP agreement. We had a fixed purchasing price for a certain tonnage of skimmed milk powder but it was suspended for 2018 and 2019. In 2019, the market recovered and the price of skimmed milk powder went back above intervention prices, although farmers paid very much in 2018 when the price was significantly under the intervention price. Would the fact the market returned to equilibrium with no intervention influence the Commission’s thinking in future interventions? I have never seen an agreement suspended midstream. It was a serious departure that set a precedent which I would not like to see occur again. Private storage is important to seasonal producers on the dairy side and APS is essential.

It is a detailed presentation but it does not give any definite answers as regards young farmers or the definition of genuine farmers. I am not criticising that as I accept where the negotiations are at and no definite decisions have been taken.

It might be an unfair question for a civil servant, but does Mr. Savage believe the new European Parliament will have a greater or lesser green influence than the outgoing Parliament? Will the new Parliament try to have a larger proportion of the CAP budget devoted to greening measures?