Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Sherlock makes a valid point about the divergence of opinion. We are much in favour of direct payments, but some within our own country will argue that the reference period should be changed. If we did an analysis of agriculture overall, we would see that not much has changed over a period of eight to ten years in terms of the number of people participating and the types of activity in which they are involved.

What are the options for the single payment? Most member states, including Ireland, are carrying out their own analyses to determine which system would suit us best. Among the potential payment models that are under consideration in the informal process are the historical model, an EU-wide flat rate, or a payment to cover the cost of purchasing power. We have outlined our total opposition to the idea of a flat rate. Other options are a regional or national flat rate, a base flat rate plus tiered additions, upper and lower limits, caps on payments, the application of the single area payment system to the 27 member states, more targeted payments linked to the delivery of public goods, and counter-cyclical payments. Thus, there is a wide range of alternatives to the existing system.

Overall, the existing system needs adjustment in some areas to ensure that young people and farmers who are active today but were not in 2002 are not discriminated against. There is much work to be done and I appreciate the work of the different political parties in bringing a greater awareness to the public at large, be it through regional meetings, conferences in south Tipperary, or whatever. All of that is important in creating a greater awareness of the need for adequate resources.

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