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

The concern is that the budget as presented by Commissioner Phil Hogan is inadequate. We should bear in mind that the Commission can only spend the money member states give them, and we must acknowledge that Europe has other big challenges, including migration, security etc. We have always argued that member states should contribute more, and that must be done by unanimous agreement. We have indicated as a Government a willingness to contribute more to the European project, and the other challenges I alluded to are not a reason to raid the Common Agricultural Policy budget.

The first hurdle we must clear is to get an adequate budget for the Common Agricultural Policy because it guarantees high quality food and because of the environmental benefits it brings. There is a clear indication that the citizens of Europe have said they are prepared to support that, provided there is a greater degree of environmental ambition. This brings me to the clear content of the proposal published in early June by Commissioner Hogan, which is that there will be greater conditionality on the payments that farmers currently get. They will have to prove they are acting in a way that provides further benefit to the environment in terms of water quality, biodiversity etc. Most farmers acknowledge that.

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