Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Commission Communication on preparation for the Health Check was published on 20 November and will be presented to the November Council of Agriculture Ministers.

There are three main elements to the Commission Communication: Review of implementation and simplification of the Single Payment Scheme; Review of market management measures, including milk quotas, with a view to improving market orientation; and Responding to the new challenges of risk management, climate change, etc. and strengthening of Pillar 2 of the CAP (i.e. rural development).

Many of the ideas in the Communication are presented in very outline form at this stage and will be further elaborated in specific legislative proposals in the Spring of next year. Discussions on the proposals are likely to continue until the end of 2008.

In relation to the preparation of position papers, my officials have been engaged in preparatory analysis for the Health Check and in contacts with the Commission and other Member States on the key issues. It is clear that all proposals will need to be carefully scrutinised to ensure that they support a viable, stable and sustainable policy framework for the continued prosperity of Irish agriculture.

In addition to the internal analysis in the Department and contact with other Member States, I am also establishing a Consultative Committee drawn from the main industry stakeholders to advise me on the main issues arising. This Group will work in parallel with the recently established Consultative Committee on Milk Quota issues and the output from both groups will feed into Ireland's position in the negotiations.