Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I concur entirely with the Deputy. Since its inception, CAP has shown itself to be an extremely flexible and adaptable policy not just in terms of its original objectives of delivering food security for Europe after the Second World War but has evolved substantially since then to meet environmental concerns, the sustainability of our production systems and the public good in the area of biodiversity, water quality, etc. Notwithstanding the fact that Europe, as identified in a number of reflections in this area, faces many new challenges that were not dreamt of at the time founding fathers met to pen the Treaty of Rome, new challenges require new money. The Government's position is not to raid what is a successful existing policy instrument of the EU to meet those new challenges. In due course, we may well have to meet and consider who funds it. Nobody is putting his or her hands up at the moment to take a penny less or put in a penny more but if we are serious about CAP, that is something we will have to address at another stage.

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