Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I would re-echo what the Minister has stated. There are new demands in the areas of defence and migration. Extra funding has to be raised to provide for those endeavours. CAP is of critical importance for a secure supply of safe food for the citizens of Europe. It has been spectacularly successful but it has been reduced. Unfortunately, the last reform of CAP was the first time the budget was reduced as a percentage of the EU budget. We cannot allow that to happen again. There are particular challenges. However, the European economy is improving and there is no reason additional funds cannot be raised across Europe for the overall EU budget. Some of the countries that joined the European Union most recently would have huge interests in agriculture as well. However, they also have a concern about defence issues. We have to bear that in mind. The Minister will have to work even harder to build stronger alliances with the traditional countries that have always been on the same wavelength as ourselves in regard to CAP.

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