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

I wonder if the Taoiseach would give his opinion on whether he believes there is an inherent unfairness in the way that CAP funds are distributed in Ireland.

Some beef barons, sheikhs and others can draw down hundreds of thousands of euro in CAP funds while most family farmers are expected to meet the same criteria on fractions of that funding. I ask that because it would be helpful for us to get the Fianna Fáil position on the matter. In the previous CAP negotiations, the then Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesperson organised meetings the length and breadth of the country, particularly on the western coast, in opposition to the approach taken by the then Fine Gael Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine at EU level to fight against any measures of redistribution, instead arguing for so-called flexibilities at a national level. During this CAP negotiation process, the current Fianna Fáil Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has adopted exactly the same position. The word "flexibility" is used as a guise for defending the status quo. Flexibility has been referenced by the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, on several occasions to defend what he would describe as national sovereignty. Does the Taoiseach agree that in the interests of national sovereignty of the democratic decision-making process, the Minister should bring his CAP strategic plan, the plan in which he will use the flexibility for which he has fought so hard, before the Dáil for debate, amendment, discussion and, ultimately, approval?

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