Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 192: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the discussions she has had with the European commission on the rural development budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33807/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The proposed EU rural development funding for 2007 to 2013 will form part of the overall EU budget or financial perspective for the same period. Decisions on the overall amount and its allocation will be taken in that context. The new rural development regulation No. 1698/2005 that was adopted in September confirms this situation.

The rural development regulation provides that the distribution of funding between member states will be on the basis of the convergence objective, past performance and particular situations and needs. In discussions at the Agricultural Council, I have emphasised that particular importance must be attached to the past performance criterion. This will allow due account to be taken of current successful programmes and the need to build on them.