Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Question 404: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he envisages any changes in the future for farmers who have their farmland, holding and entitlements leased; if he will confirm that the entitlements will go back to the original owner when lease is up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23653/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under the current Single Payment regulations entitlements that are leased out with land revert to the owner on expiry of the lease for the land.

The European Commission published its proposals for reform of the CAP post 2013 in October last and negotiations on those proposals are continuing. Under the proposals existing single payment entitlements will be abolished on 31 December 2013 and new entitlements will be allocated to eligible farmers in 2014. As the negotiations are still at an early stage it is too soon to speculate on what the final outcome and details of the reform will be.

I will continue to consult with farming organisations and other stakeholders as the negotiations progress.