Mr. Brendan Gleeson:

No country has agreed to any proposal. I should make that clear. However, I am not qualified to calculate the effect on CAP over seven years if member states were to reduce their gross national income, GNI, contributions. Deputy McConalogue's general proposition that three countries have not agreed to the proposal of the Commission as they think it too generous is correct.

On the young farmers scheme and how it will be funded, it is a 2% linear cut to direct payments. A separate provision in the rural development provisions, RDP, allows for some insulation aid. There is reference in the RDP regulations to a payment of up to €100,000. A minimum of 2% of the Pillar 1 budget is to be used for a kind of top-up for the direct payments but measures will also be available in the RDP for young farmers. The 2% cut will be linear across all farms.