Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is welcome that the Minister is considering the distribution of CAP payments and what options are available in that regard. We have had this discussion many times in the House and at committee. The current situation whereby entitlements are bought, sold, leased and used as commodities of a sort is inappropriate. We must have a flat-rate payment across the board in order that a farmer knows what payment he or she will receive for every hectare of his or her farm and those with smaller holdings would understand that this would be front-loaded such that the first 10 ha or 15 ha would attract a higher payment, with a lower payment thereafter. That would ensure that very large-scale farms would not get the benefit of a huge basic farm payment and smaller-scale farms would be able to ensure their sustainability. That is the issue. Many farmers on small holdings cannot survive. It is very difficult for them.

An interesting issue raised this morning was that of hobby and genuine farmers and what constitutes a genuine farmer. A farmer who is utilising all his or her land is a genuine farmer. Such farmers may not be able to make a living from that and may require off-farm income but they are still genuine farmers.

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