Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

The Government is not only outlining clearly its view on the Common Agricultural Policy. Deputy Coonan would have heard me express my views at the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. He would have heard me discuss this matter with Commissioner Ciolos as well. I have outlined clearly the Government's position, which I believe is shared by Members in general, and its policy regarding the need to have a properly-resourced and adequate CAP and to have two pillars. First, direct income support is needed to provide some income stability to farmers. In addition, better and stronger market support measures are required.

The market management measures, be they intervention, aids to public and private storage and export refunds, will be essential in the future. In addition, the Government has argued that payment under the less favoured areas, that we in general refer to as disadvantaged areas, should remain in pillar 2 and that direct income support should be in pillar 1. In addition, the Government has argued that the rural development policy under that subheading, which is of crucial importance to give some assistance to on-farm investments,-----

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