Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Ordinary workers benefit from our membership of the EU. The Deputy asked a question as to the cost consequences of the various scenarios articulated by other member states and I began to outline the answer, the rest of which will be given in written format. If, for example, the ceiling is at 1%, from 2021 the figure will be €2.575 billion, rising to €2.77 billion in 2023. If it is beyond 1%, the contributions will be higher. Ireland has not outlined, and I will not do so now, our preferred figure because I anticipate the negotiation will continue for some time. On many occasions, however, I have made clear the Government's priorities in respect of the matter, namely, continuing to support farmers and the agricultural community through the CAP system and ensuring the appropriate funding is in place, and supporting research and innovation and the programmes that are important to our island. Our ordinary workers benefit from membership of the Union and access to the Single Market. Even on a no-policy-change basis and even if the current way of calculating payments were not to change, the fact that our income is growing means our commitment, too, will grow.

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