Mr. Phil Hogan:

Thank you, Chairman. We discussed this today concerning some of the matters raised by Deputy Ó Cuív. CAP simplification is not going to be easy. Some of it is secondary legislation which is what I am dealing with immediately. More of it would be a matter for the Council of agriculture Ministers in the EU, based on whether we are going to change the basic acts in two years time.

We are going to look at the greening stuff, for want of a better word, and the ecological focus areas in 2016. It will be a rolling maul over two years to see what we can do to simplify matters in the interests of the beneficiary and in the interests of the member state.

Some 69% of all farm size in Europe is smaller than 5 ha. We have given discretion in the Common Agricultural Policy for a small farmers' scheme, but not every member state wants to take it up. Many options are being given in terms of flexibility to get over the problem we had in negotiating the CAP. One would need four CAPs, depending on what region of Europe one is from, to satisfy everyone. That is why the decision was made to give maximum flexibility, including options for coupled support. It is a matter for member states to make these particular choices. Some of the issues raised here should be raised on the floor of the Dáil.