Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Deputy that we need to recalibrate towards smaller farmers. I come from a rural area in east Galway where there are lots of small farmers who are struggling. The Deputy referred to climate action and supporting the transition to a more sustainable agricultural sector in the context of CAP. It is also important to reiterate that the LEADER programme operates under CAP and that is where we will play our part. We are working closely with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed, in order to ensure that we have a strong approach to the new CAP and how it is introduced. There is a delay in the adoption of the new CAP proposals and the EU budget post 2020, with a resultant delay in the strategy for the period but negotiations are ongoing at European level. Ireland is involved in those negotiations through the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with strong support from the Department of Rural and Community Development. Our support is greatly appreciated by the lead Department. Draft transition regulations seek to address the delay as it relates to rural development, sectoral interventions, direct payments and LEADER programmes through transitional arrangement for 2021. I wish to reassure the Deputy that there will not be a gap and transitional arrangements will apply until the new CAP is in place. These provides an option for member states to extend their rural development programmes for a period of one year up to 2021, subject to certain conditions. It is expected to take six to eight months to finalise the transitional regulations.

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