Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)

If we take the three fundamental pillars that will underpin CAP, namely, water management, biodiversity and climate change, an issue will arise regarding the whole pillar of rural development and whether income will be taken from direct payments to farmers and housed in a rural development pillar, which could see it going into an administrative function through various local bodies and development organisations. Does the Minister have a view on that at this stage? Has a clear Government position evolved on that aspect? Would the Minister acknowledge that there are reservations by farm organisations on the matter on the basis that they would not wish to see income being diversified into that area at the risk that it could go down the so-called administrative black hole?

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