Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Farmers receive various payments per hectare under the Common Agriculture Policy. These payments are based on production levels from two decades ago. Most EU countries have moved to a flat rate payment per hectare in a process known as convergence. Such a process would benefit the majority of farmers in Ireland. A total of 60% of Irish farms would get more. Why is the Government adopting a position in the CAP talks that runs against the interests of the majority of farmers? Why is it fighting against a front-loaded payment that would benefit smaller farmers? Why is it resisting an upper payment limit that would stop the obscenities whereby beef barons and sheiks receive hundreds of thousands of euro each year in CAP payments while most farmers struggle to survive? When he was in opposition, the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, demanded increased fairness even during the transition period. In power, he is delaying the entire CAP process and fighting against any measure of fairness. Whose interests is the Government serving in these CAP talks?

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