Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The ECA’s annual report stated the current performance indicators do not always reflect the effectiveness of the EU budget. In what ways do the witnesses think the performance indicators can be made a more accurate measurement of effectiveness? Have their recommendations in this regard been adopted or already implemented by the European Commission?

The ECA’s annual report stated that in 2018, two thirds of the EU budget was spent through shared management programmes, which are managed by member states. Natural resources funding covers the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, the Common Fisheries Policy and part of the EU spending on the environment and climate action. In 2018, the CAP accounted for 98% of natural resources funding. The ECA found that the complex eligibility conditions for rural development market measures, fisheries environment and climate action increased the risk of error in these spending areas. Direct payments made to farmers made up 72% of the EU’s natural resources funding. It was free of material error in 2018. What are the witnesses’ views on these issues?

If we are banned from using certain chemicals in agriculture and there is a gradual withdrawal from the use of other chemicals, particularly in farming practices, that will have a serious negative financial knock-on effect. How can that be handled? The people who have made these suggestions do not realise the implications on the ground and how much those chemicals are needed. It is an unusual matter. It equally affects people with good land and poor land. I can see awful knock-on consequences down the road. If farmers will be unable to purchase chemicals for farming practices, it will have a serious negative impact on their incomes. For example, many years ago, a dip used for sheep was deemed to be environmentally unfriendly. A weakened type of dip was made available. That has had a negative impact on farming. When it comes to animal husbandry, people needed something that had a bit of bite in it. Now people do not have that and it is affecting farming. The same will happen with pesticides and chemicals.