Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she is satisfied that the food producing sector is adequately safeguarded to ensure the ongoing viability of agriculture and fisheries in this country in the aftermath of CAP and fisheries policy reforms in the context of WTO; if she is satisfied that access to such markets for Irish produce is likely to be affected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7115/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The reforms of the CAP and Common Fisheries Policy have been undertaken with a view to ensuring the viability of these sectors in the EU. The 2003 Reform of the CAP has provided farmers with certainty about income support levels through the Single Farm Payment, while freeing them to increase their income from the market by responding to consumer demands and guaranteeing a supply of safe food, produced to high animal welfare and environmental standards, at reasonable cost.

My main concern, in respect of the 2003 CAP reform, is to ensure that there is a period of stability to allow farmers to implement the changes necessitated by decoupling and to adapt to market needs in a stable policy environment. The Commission has now presented its communication on preparation for the "Health Check" of the CAP to EU Agriculture Ministers. I believe this opportunity should be taken to introduce further simplification of the Single Payment Scheme and to avoid further major policy changes. It is in this context also that the ongoing WTO negotiations represent a significant challenge. The outcome of the negotiations will determine the levels of protection and support that the EU may provide for the duration of the next agreement.

My overriding objective in the ongoing agriculture negotiations is to ensure that the terms of the agreement can be accommodated within the framework of the reformed CAP. This represents the limit of the EU Commission's negotiating mandate in these negotiations and I will continue to insist that this mandate is respected.

In terms of the Fisheries sector I believe the outcome of the WTO Rules negotiations, which include provisions on Fisheries Subsidies, must be compatible with the current EU Common Fisheries Policy. This is the objective of the EU in these negotiations and I will continue to insist that the Commission pursue a positive outcome in this regard.