Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

The WTO talks will continue next July.

This rise in aggregate farm income was due to a record level of payments to farmers by this Government in 2005. Total direct payments amounted to more than €2.2 billion, which included more than €1 billion under the single payment scheme, €550 million in rural development measures and more than €600 million in premia payments in respect of previous years. The rise in farm incomes is welcome even allowing for the once-off factors that occurred last year. This rise justifies the decision to adopt a full decoupling approach and the extra money in farmers' pockets will assist farming in adapting to more competitive market pressures.

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