Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is an issue I discussed at many of our Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, consultation meetings around the country. We have programmed in the areas of natural constraint scheme for each year of the CAP up to 2027 at €250 million, which is maintaining it at its previous level. That comes as part of an overall increase of 50% in our national co-funding of Pillar 2. Obviously, we had to make choices in respect of what we were going to increase. Overall, we are delivering 50% more national funding to it. That is why we are able to increase significantly the agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, payments, organics and the beef suckler scheme within CAP. As part of those balances, however, the ANC payment is maintained at €250 million.