Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will deliver on his commitment to the sheep sector in view of the fact that the industry is in serious trouble and that the health check provides him with the flexibility and scope to make a sheep maintenance payment out of unspent single payment funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44090/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The possibility of support to the sheep sector will be considered in the light of the outcome of the recent CAP health check. That outcome provides that an additional amount of some €24 million annually will be available to Irish farmers from 2010 onwards. That amount may be used to target specific sectors in need of assistance and represents money that would otherwise not be available to farmers due to the complex rules surrounding the single farm payment. Support may commence in 2009 by utilising funds from the national reserve, which are expected to be in the region of €6 million to €7 million, and those will be supplemented from 2010 with the unspent single farm payment funds.

As I indicated following the completion of the health check, I will consult relevant stakeholders as to how the additional funds can best be spent. To that end, I will meet with them on 16 December to consider their views and possible options. It is, perhaps, worth repeating what I said in this House last night when I reiterated my concern for the sheep sector in particular and acknowledged that it is a sector that needs support. It is a priority sector and will, no doubt, feature prominently at my meeting with the farm organisations on 16 December to consider how best to spend the additional funding secured in the health check.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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By way of preamble I draw attention to how the Minister's language has shifted considerably from the statement in Limoges where he said that the sector "should be a priority for any unused funds within the CAP budget". Last night he indicated: "I wanted to ensure that the changes in the health check initiative will open the possibility for some useful action." Now the Minister is stating that he "may" use some of the €24 million fund to support the sheep sector. What the farmers who are protesting on Kildare Street want to know is whether the fund will be used. Will the Minister give a definitive commitment that he will honour the statement that was made at the conference in Limoges? Given that the Minister has committed to meeting representatives of the sector, will he move the date of 16 December forward given that the farmers are protesting outside Leinster House? It would be courteous if the Minister committed to meeting them earlier than 16 December.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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On the Deputy's question on the EU conference in France in early September, people who listen to us participated actively and constructively at the meeting. At the conference, I outlined that the sheep sector needed assistance at EU level. For once, the British Government and the Irish one were on the same wavelength on an agriculture issue. The British Minister participated, as did the French Minister, Michel Barnier, acting President of the Council of Agriculture Ministers, and the Ministers from Spain and Romania. We were the only Ministers representing Governments of member states at the conference.

I made several points at the conference, one of which was that the challenges in the sheep sector throughout the European Union required an EU-wide response. There are unspent funds within the Irish CAP allocation and there are also unused CAP funds at EU level. I argued that we should not only try to obtain access to our own unspent funds, such that we could use them to our own benefit as we see fit, but that we should also try to secure an EU-wide response. I argued that some of the substantial fund that is unused within the CAP budget of the 27 member states should be diverted to the sheep sector. However, the European Union will not agree to that. One would need the agreement of the 27 member states.

If Deputy Sherlock wants to read any of my statements or listen to any of the interviews I gave, he will note that I stated clearly, as I did last night, today and at the meeting organised by the IFA in Tullamore on the morning when the CAP health check negotiations were completed, that the sheep sector needs help. I stated at the meeting in Tullamore that "I want to ensure that the changes in the health check open the possibility for some useful action in the sheep sector." I have repeated that since and am looking forward to a constructive meeting with the farm organisations on 16 December. That is the first date available because of long-standing commitments in the Dáil and elsewhere, including foreign locations, over the next two weeks. I have no doubt that the organisations at the meeting will put forward very strong, well-supported cases on the sheep sector based on their concerns and ideas.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Is the Minister now telling us he cannot commit the unspent CAP funds to the sheep sector? Will he respond with a "Yes" or a "No"?

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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As Deputy Sherlock knows——

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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On a point of order, there are people outside this building who are awaiting the answer to that question. They are either labouring under a misapprehension regarding the Minister's statements or they are not. Did the Minister make a commitment that he would allocate unused CAP funds to the sheep sector?

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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That was not a point of order. I ask the Minister to be brief.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I assure Deputy Sherlock that I have been entirely consistent on this issue.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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With all due respect to the Minister, he is shifting his position.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I have not shifted my position. Not one comma in any of my statements on the sheep sector has been shifted.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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There is a subtle shift.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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What is the consultation about in that case?

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Is the answer to my question "Yes" or "No"?

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I just want to state the facts. I have been entirely consistent. I said at the IFA meeting at Tullamore, where I was criticised for not making a commitment, that I made a commitment to seeking to gain access to the unused funds. I stated I wanted to ensure the changes in the CAP health check would open the possibility for some useful action in the sheep sector. I stated at the meeting that if we were successful at the health check negotiations, I would return to the farming organisations to talk to them. Ten minutes after the conclusion of the negotiations, I repeated this. That is what I am doing. The date is set for a meeting and the farm organisations have been invited to attend. I have no doubt that, in their capacity as strong advocates, they will be able to reiterate their point of view. My position has not changed one iota.

Deputy Sherlock knows that if one invites representatives to engage in consultation, one does not make a decision before consulting them.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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The Minister should just answer the question.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I have total respect for the people I have invited to the meeting.