Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 49: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the status of the agriculture strand of the social partnership talks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24602/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The negotiations for a successor national partnership agreement to Sustaining Progress commenced in February of this year and have been the subject of a number of meetings with the farming pillar since then. Three of the four farming organisations left the talks at an early stage but all subsequently rejoined and are taking a full part in the negotiations.

Significant progress has been made towards finalising the issues involving the agricultural strand of the social partnership talks. The substantive outstanding issue on which agreement has not been reached relates to the level of funding to be provided for the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme. I recognise the importance of this issue to all parties, involving as it does the future funding for the Rural Environmental Protection Scheme, the Farm Investment Schemes, the Compensatory Allowances for Disadvantaged Areas, the Scheme of Installation Aid, the Early Retirement Scheme and Forestry.

Detailed technical discussions are taking place between my Department and the farming bodies to identify common ground and to prioritise funding areas with a view to achieving a satisfactory outcome on this issue. I am confident that agreement can be reached on the outstanding issues.