Peter Callanan (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food, Deputy Aylward, to the House, and thank the Minister, Deputy Joe Walsh, who has had to leave. We last spoke on agriculture on 2 July when we had a very constructive debate on the outcome of the mid-term review negotiations. There was all-round general consensus that the outcome was good under the circumstances. Both our Ministers and our officials from the Department of Agriculture and Food were congratulated on the fine job done at that stage.

There was, of course, one outstanding issue concerning the flexibility allowed to national governments to engage in full or partial decoupling or continue as previously. I welcome the fine decision taken by the Minister and the Department. I recall saying during the debate that I felt it was necessary for the Minister and the Department to engage with the various organisations and other parties around the country. They have done so, and departmental officials visited many areas, attending some 40 meetings altogether. The overwhelming result of those visits throughout the country to explain what was happening was a positive approach to decoupling. The outcome of the negotiations on the mid-term review of the Common Agricultural Policy has enabled the Minister, Deputy Joe Walsh, to introduce a simplified single payment system that will profoundly reshape the CAP.

We cannot overstate the Minister's success at the negotiations, and that contrasts sharply with his Fine Gael predecessor, whose only significant negotiation in Brussels resulted in a cut in our special beef premium quota, which gave rise to a cost overshoot in 2002.