Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Quinn for sharing his time. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. Sinn Féin has always argued that CAP funding should be distributed on a fair and equitable basis and should direct supports to those who need them within the farming sector. We want to see an end to a situation whereby a few individuals at the top of the farming pile receive the lion’s share of the payments. We propose radical redistribution of the payments to increase the viability of low income households. The latest figures available, for 2011, show that this is not happening. A total of 243 farmers received €32 million. In other words, they got an average payment of over €130,000 each. Meanwhile, over 52,000 farmers received payments of less than €5,000 each. The defence of the methods and criteria for the current single farm payment was that it would reward the more productive farmers but this claim does not stand up when stocking density is examined. Those with an average stocking density of 1.47 were getting a payment of around €282 per hectare while those with 1.92 received average payments of €1,180 per hectare. This cannot be justified under any claim of higher productivity.

We agree with the definition of active farmer that would exclude non-agricultural land such as airports, golf courses and so on for payment and support the exclusion of agri-businesses whose main activity is not farm production. We called for an immediate cap of €100,000 and I take on board the Minister’s comments in that regard. We support the allocation of payments to farmers who had no single farm payment but can produce evidence of active farm production in the reference year. Under the agreed framework, we support the maximum possible redistribution of payments. We believe that the minimum payment ought to be the national average per hectare payment. We support the application of the lowest maximum per hectare payment allowed under the agreed framework.

Sinn Féin does not support the reintroduction of coupled support schemes. We support the introduction of a small farmers scheme with the inclusion of all farmers with annual payments of less than €1,250. The reduction of Pillar 2 payments sends the wrong message to a sector that has contributed favourably in extreme circumstances to the economy. When the reductions in Pillar 1 payments were first suggested, farmers were told that the payback would come in Pillar 2. Farmers are being asked to do more for less under environment schemes, and with REPS 4 coming to an end without replacement until 2015, many will suffer unacceptable drops in income.

Up and down the State in the most disadvantaged areas, farmers are suffering cuts to their single farm payment, SFP, due to land eligibility issues. I have already pointed to those who receive less than €5,000 in SFP who are severely hit by the latest measures. I echo the concerns about the use of technology which makes land on which payment was previously made ineligible because new satellite imagery is being employed. The Department adopted the new technology with great speed after the EU decision to change from the old digital system which is still in use in many member states. Member states were given four years, I understand, to implement the changes but this State has rushed ahead and completed the changeover in four months.

The cuts to payments for farmers in disadvantaged areas are causing more hardship and money taken out of farmers’ pockets is money taken from the rural community. The penalties being imposed are harsh in the extreme, for example, if one fifth of a holding is deemed ineligible there is no SFP at all. Others less extreme but none the less drastic for a farm family are having their payments halved. Farmers are telling Sinn Féin public representatives that inspectors who do not know the area and are relying on this imagery can make big mistakes.

The industrial action by IMPACT in the Minister’s Department will affect much of this. I call on him to intervene where 600 or so technical officers are in dispute. This needs to be resolved because much of what will be done in the coming months is important.

I welcome the scheme he has mentioned to maintain island farmers. I agree that they are a particularly important group of people who are often left out.

Will the Minister comment on the effect of the storm damage to some farms along the coast and how it affects their payments? What supports can the Minister put in place for them? I note that the ICSA has asked for more support for sheep farming and that the GLAS be aimed more at low income farmers. The Irish Local Development Network, ILDN, the Leader network has asked that 10% of the RDP for Leader be set aside. Will the Minister comment on that? The farm inspections under way and the digitisation of the maps are causing huge problems. Will the Minister comment on that?