Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers with stacked payments will be able to carry these forward into the new Common Agricultural Policy 2014-2020; if he is in favour of maintaining these rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14653/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The EU Commission proposal is to move to flat rate payments by 2019. Earlier this month the EU Council of Ministers agreed an alternative approach based on the approximation model put forward by Ireland and supported by a number of other Member States. This would, among other things, limit the reductions to higher payments – whether they arose from stacking or otherwise. Over the coming months we will be entering into trilogue negotiations with the three EU institutions – the European Parliament, EU Commission and the Council of Ministers – in order to arrive at a common position on this and all of the other details of the reformed CAP. The outcome of these negotiations will determine the direct payment regime that will apply post 2014.