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

On the dates involved, the obligation is to conclude this by the time farmers make applications for their 2019 basic payments. The January deadline is not the critical one. The requirement is to conclude this before farmers make their online applications for 2019. I note the Deputy's point about the budget. We allocated an additional €25 million in this year's budget and I appreciate that there is still a shortfall to make up for the cuts to ANC payments imposed by the previous Fianna Fáil Government. Any consideration in that regard is subject to budgetary negotiations. I note also the Deputy's points about specific parts of his own constituency. I visited one of the higher profile demonstration farms in the constituency recently and was surprised to find it was in a disadvantaged area. I appreciate that there are anomalies within the current system and opportunities to address them in the context of the process which is under way.

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