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

I understand that. What I am trying to do is tease out what level of commitment the farmer will have to make in respect of it. I have often said the farmer is not the only one who produces greenhouse gases, but in effect, land use is one of the few ways we have of segregating those gases so there is an obligation and an opportunity there for the farmer in that respect. These measures are designed to help that agenda. I expect the battles the Minister will have in Europe will be around what money goes to the agricultural sector and why it needs to go there. It is to everyone's benefit that land is used to improve the environment for all.

Could the Minister give me an idea of what percentage of Pillar 1 will be related to environmental obligations? Will Pillar 2 be an extension of the green low-carbon, agri-environment scheme, GLAS, or will it be more onerous than GLAS has been in the past? Will it be open to more farmers? One of the issues currently is that many farmers have been unable to get into GLAS.

Reference was made in the climate change document to biodiversity, bees and the interdependence society has on what nature does to provide for us. How will that issue be incorporated in the CAP?

See this speech in context