Professor John FitzGerald:

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has primary responsibility for agricultural matters because the CAP will be a major instrument. All of the income of beef farmers comes from the CAP because, on average, they make nothing from producing beef. This will be about how the CAP will be reconfigured in a way that is consistent with tackling the problem of climate change and rewarding farmers in a fair way. It is the challenge for the Department. In a small way other Departments are involved, but with the farming community it is probably primarily for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to deal with this. They can fight it out and I am not here to arbitrate between Departments. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is providing €3 million from the total of €90 million for green agriculture pilots. Although other Departments are involved, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will take the lead.