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

I thank the Minister. I acknowledge much work has been done and consultation has happened with the various groups and farm organisations. I would hope that would be a measure to build consensus rather than taking on board all the information and doing what the Department intends to do anyway, which is what people believe happened in the past.

The Minister stated that there will be more significant eco and environmental measures in the next CAP than there were in previous CAPs. That is something on which farmers would like to get more information. While I appreciate it is probably early days as regards the public consultation around this, I am quite sure, given the close relationship the Minister and his Department would have with Commissioner Hogan, that there is some sense of where we are going with this.

On Pillar 1, what percentage of the payment does the Minister expect will be related to the environmental measures under that pillar? If it is 20%, 25% or 30%, it will be optional for the farmer but mandatory for the Department to put out there. If it is going to mandatory for the Department to put out there, and some farmers opt in and some opt out, does that mean farmers will not get that 20%, 25% or 30% of the Pillar 1 payment if they opt out? Is that the situation? The danger many farmers around the country would see in that is that one would have the more intensive farmers opting out but the farmers who need the money opting in.

It would mean that we would have a situation where the environmental actions would all be happening on the lands of natural constraint or in the areas where a poorer income is in place for farmers. It must be the case that every farmer everywhere plays a role in respect of it.

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