Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of money that would be available for redistribution amongst lower income farmers if the currrent rules of the single payment were to be amended post 2012 to limit the payment per hectare to €500/ha and the maximum payment payable to any farmer under the single farm payment to €50,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42135/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department has modelled various CAP reform proposals using the 2010 Single Payment Scheme (SPS) database of actual payments to farmers in that year, rather than entitlements. Analysis of this database shows the following:

- around 7,600 farmers were paid at rates in excess of €500 per hectare in 2010. Capping payments at €500 per hectare would in theory provide around €42 million for re-distribution;

- around 2,100 farmers received single payments in excess of €50,000 in 2010. Capping the maximum payment to these farmers at €50,000 would in theory provide €50 million for redistribution.

Note that these figures are not cumulative, as around 1,000 of the farmers on payments over €50,000 are also on a payment rate in excess of €500 per hectare. Note also that farms with eligible area under 3 hectares are excluded from this analysis.

It should also be borne in mind that decisions have yet to be taken on the multiannual financial framework for the EU budget for the period after 2013. Thus, at this point, we do not know the overall amount of funding that will be available for the Common Agricultural Policy or the allocation that will be made to Ireland. In those circumstances, it is not possible to provide a definitive answer to the deputy’s questions.