Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for being a bit late in arriving. If my first question has already been answered, leave it at that and I will get the text later. I am interested in hearing what Mr. Scannell has to say about a number of issues. First, with regard to the €500 million support that has been afforded to EU farmers, is there any conditionality attached to that? Does Mr. Scannell know if it is a straightforward fund or what conditions are attached to it? How does the Commission envisage this money being spent, or is it largely being left up to member states to decide what is needed? Second, in the context of sustainability and climate change, obviously we are all operating in that context and agriculture must also. I am going to ask a few questions about this country in particular. In Ireland, how can we reorient our agricultural models both in the short and in the long term to try to ensure greater sustainability? I am not asking Mr. Scannell to pre-empt the agriculture Council on Monday but just to give a general overview on that. Third, and this is not going to happen unless they call a meeting this afternoon, if I had to meet a group of sheep, hill or suckler farmers in north Leitrim or south Sligo to discuss climate change this evening and I told them I had a meeting about food security with the Commission this morning, what message could Mr. Scannell give them? When we talk to farmers about CAP and food production, many of them will still say that the CAP was initially brought in to ensure food security. To most farmers, this means you produce more food. They see it as a simple straight line. If Mr Scannell could give them one message, what might that be? I did not attend a recent seminar on food security at which Mr. Scannell was speaking but one of my staff members did and they took notes. It might have been the European Commission seminar last week. One of the questions he was asked was what one single action could be taken to avoid a global food crisis and the answer Mr. Scannell gave was to stop the war. He may have said more but that is the answer I have here. Putting that aside - and let us assume that the status quoremains for the next six to 12 months - what single action does Mr. Scannell think could be taken in order to avoid a global food crisis?