Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for his remarks. Ultimately, it is an important step in a process. The process now is with the technical committee that meets on 9 December. It was always our intention and ambition in all of our negotiations to get the best possible proposal agreed by the Commission and then put that on the agenda for the 27 member states and that technical committee to hopefully vote on. We still do not have a derogation. As of now, we do not have a derogation on 1 January. It is in the hands of that committee. I negotiated in good faith. There was detailed engagement between my officials and EU officials. I pay tribute to Commissioner Roswall, who came over at my invitation to visit an Irish farm - the Durkin's farm just outside of Kilcullen in County Kildare - to see at first hand the intergenerational work that was at play. The engagement of her officials who have been over here and I have met in Brussels numerous times has been important. It is fair to say that their starting point and our starting point were two different positions.

We have a proposal now that I have confirmed to the House is for an extension of the existing derogation for a three-year period, with other new conditionalities that I will confirm closer to the time. All of my focus now is on engaging with colleagues across the member states so that if there are any concerns or issues ahead of that vote, we give ourselves the best chance possible. This is not done yet. It is at a sensitive point. I look forward to the engagement.

I also recognise the constructive role that the stakeholders, farm organisations and industry have played throughout this process and their patience at a stressful time for everybody involved.

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