Maura Hopkins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like other Senators, I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber and thank her for her time in our discussion on Europe Day. Last Tuesday morning in Ballinasloe we had a wonderful crowd in Ballinasloe library to celebrate, discuss and reflect on how Europe has been of huge benefit to us. Mairead McGuinness, our MEP and Vice President of the European Parliament, was with us. Her competence and ability in terms of negotiating on our behalf should be noted. I am particularly reflecting on her work on unfair trading practices which has particular relevance to the Common Agricultural Policy. It is of huge significance. It was a very fruitful discussion and very reflective of the survey that took place in which 92% of people responded that they are in favour of and support involvement in the European Union.Before that we visited New Inn national school with Ms Mairead McGuinness MEP and I was struck by the engagement of young people through the Blue Star Programme. Those programmes are of huge importance in trying to break down barriers and to communicate with people of all ages on how Europe is good for us.

I mention a number of matters around our work on the Council of Europe. We are very proud we have an Irish vice president of the Council of Europe at the moment, namely, Senator O'Reilly. He and other colleagues are very committed. It is a job we take seriously. Recently an event was organised, particularly by the UK delegation, to mark 20 years of the Good Friday Agreement and at which Senator O'Reilly spoke. The Good Friday Agreement reflects, in many ways, the whole reason the European Union was set up, that is, peace. The Good Friday Agreement remains the cornerstone of our commitment to peace and stability on the island of Ireland. Nobody wants to return to the Border of the past. Unfortunately, as the Minister of State well knows, Brexit poses a major challenge - the challenge of managing the UK's exit from the European Union and its potentially negative and damaging impact on the Irish Border and on the Irish economy. Our relationship with UK colleagues on the Council of Europe is very good and very close. All of us want to ensure we have a very close relationship with the UK from political, social and trading points of view. That was exemplified at that event to mark 20 years of the Good Friday Agreement.

I want to emphasise what Senator O'Reilly said about the protection of the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, budget. Coming from a rural area, I know the bottom line is that farmers' incomes must continue to be supported. We very much rely on EU support payments in order to allow farmers to engage in what is a difficult career. The CAP payments are often misunderstood. They support farming and food production, ensure we have high food safety, meet environmental standards and, most importantly, allow a benefit for our rural communities and areas. It is vital for farm viability. I refer to proposals on a reduction in the CAP budget and the figure of 5%, about which we are hearing at the moment. It is difficult enough for farmers to survive and we all know about the difficult winter we have been through. I ask the Minister of State, as Senator O'Reilly did, to comment on the CAP budget because it is crucial for rural areas and farmers.