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

On the Beef Market Taskforce, I am amused at Deputy McNamara's inference that this was a vehicle - if that was the Deputy's view, it certainly did not work - to secure Fine Gael through the election. Far from it, the taskforce is a serious piece of work. It is in the difficulty that all of us are in in terms of meetings but there is ongoing engagement with all of the constituent members. The job that was identified for it continues in terms of reports that have been commissioned by independent bodies etc.

The work is important and it is ongoing.

There are may different segments to the issues facing the fishing industry, but I refer particularly to the inshore sector, the whitefish sector and the pelagic sector. The options are as outlined by the Commission. I have had a personal telephone call with the Commissioner on these matters. No additional funding is available from the European Union. There is only the flexibility to reallocate funds. A lot of our funding has already been committed to projects that will go ahead. The funding that is available is scarce and we must act on the basis of getting the maximum return on whatever scarce resources we have. The projects I have spoken about tie up our storage aid. We are looking at all of those at the moment.

In reply to Deputy Fitzmaurice I note that there is an issue around the transition period for the Common Agricultural Policy. We are looking for the maximum flexibility within that so that persons who have payments under existing schemes can continue to receive them. We are also seeking the flexibility to introduce new schemes to help us deliver on our climate ambitions, for example. We will need to work with farmers to encourage them to meet those targets and that is part of the necessary toolbox. We are looking for the maximum level of flexibility and we are making progress in that regard.

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