Joe Callanan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

Some 110,000 farmers were paid €970 million on that date. By the end of 2005, more than 118,000 farmers had received €1.058 billion under the single payment scheme.

Currently, total payments amount to €1,114 million, with 95% of farmers paid. It is of course necessary to pay all farmers as their files are cleared and a number of payment runs are made each week to ensure this. In the main, those farmers who have not yet received payment are difficult cases. In some situations, there are complicated issues relating to inheritances and in many others, applications for transfer of entitlements under the single payment scheme were only submitted to the Department in recent weeks, or the transfer documents have yet to be submitted.

The achievement in terms of payment delivery in the first year of a major scheme shift has been widely recognised. Ireland's performance in successfully gearing up for change and in making the vast bulk of payments at the earliest opportunity provided for in the EU rules, places us in the leading group of member states. This did not happen by chance. It resulted from careful planning and resourcing, not least an investment in the necessary information technology-based systems. The Minister's aim for 2006 is to build on her achievements to provide an even better single payment service for farmers.

Another important issue for which the Minister can claim credit is securing funding for the CAP supports from 2007 to 2013. This will allow farmers to plan ahead with the assurance that their payments will continue. The supports were threatened by some EU leaders who do not support agriculture. The rural development package was agreed and REPs payments were increased. REPS has been an extremely successful scheme, for both farmers and the environment. We achieved the highest level of entry into REPS, with a record level of 48,000 farmers receiving almost €283 million in payments in 2005. This is the highest figure since REPS began in 1994, and represents an increase of 33% from previous years.

The nitrates directives will cause problems for some farmers with high stocking rates of one cow per acre or more. However, it is important we secure a derogation in the organic nitrogen limit from 170 kg per hectare to 230 kg per hectare for such people.

The Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Coughlan, is extremely positive and forward looking, as can be seen from her support of crops such as biofuels, where I can see a huge market which may replace the sugar beet industry. It makes sense to produce crops that can reduce oil imports. We must also support a way of dealing with pig slurry, which could be a valuable fertiliser for grain farmers.

I was proud to visit Hong Kong for the World Trade Organisations talks, which was my first trip outside the State since I was elected. I was proud of the Minister——

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