Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The new rural development programme for 2014 to 2020 will be a key support in enhancing the competitiveness of the agrifood sector, achieving a more sustainable management of natural resources and ensuring a more balanced development of rural areas. The draft RDP was formally submitted to the European Commission on 3 July 2014, a number of weeks in advance of the regulatory deadline. The Commission's formal response to the draft RDP containing a total of 266 observations was received on 20 October 2014. Since that time, detailed and intensive negotiations have been ongoing between my Department and the Commission to secure agreement on the new RDP. These bilateral negotiations have recently concluded and Ireland's draft RDP has now been formally resubmitted to the European Commission where it has entered the Commission's final round of inter-services consultation.

While the formal approval process for the RDP has still to be completed, I am aware of the importance of the roll-out of RDP schemes. Accordingly, officials from my Department sought at an early stage to establish a very clear understanding with the European Commission as to the shape of the new GLAS, its priorities, the actions that should be applied and the rates of payment. Having reached this level of agreement, as an interim measure and to allow maximum time for farmers to prepare their GLAS plans, I launched GLAS on 23 February. Commissioner Hogan has recently announced that the Commission will issue letters of comfort to member states as RDPs complete the bilateral negotiation process, but formal adoption of the RDP will be delayed by amendments to the multi-annual financial framework. This letter of comfort will ensure that the launch of RDP schemes will not be held up by the formal approval process at EU level and will facilitate the earlier implementation of RDP schemes and supports.

When the Commission’s final round of inter-services consultation is complete and the letter of comfort has issued, the schemes and supports contained in Ireland’s RDP will be rolled out in line with the annual budgetary process. I expect to receive our letter of comfort within the next two weeks.

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