Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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18. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he will make an announcement in relation to Pillar 1 of the EU Common Agricultural Policy 2014-2020; when he will convey details of the selected options under Pillar 1 of the CAP to the EU; if the level of national co-funding for Pillar 2 will be announced at that time; the percentage of Pillar 2 funding it is proposed to spend on Leader type actions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53075/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In respect of Pillar 1 of the CAP I initiated a process of consultation in July 2013 with all relevant stakeholders and interested parties to ascertain their views on the most appropriate application of the Direct Payments Regulation in Ireland. I and my officials are currently giving careful consideration to all of the responses. I hope to be in a position to make decisions across the range of alternatives by the end of 2013. In general, Member States are required to notify Commission about decisions by 31 August 2014.

As regards Pillar 2, work on the development of the next rural development programme is already well under way. An initial consultation process was launched in 2012, and written submissions were received from over 80 stakeholders. These submissions have been analysed by the Department and have fed into the development of SWOT and needs analyses. A second consultation was held in July 2013, where stakeholders attended a full day workshop. Based on the outcome of these processes, the drafting of a new programme is being advanced by the Department, and it is intended that further stakeholder consultation will form part of this.

A general co-financing rate of 53% is set out in the draft Rural Development Regulation but this rate may rise to a maximum of 80% for measures such as farm and business development, co-operation activities, and LEADER projects. Environmental type measures may be co-funded up to 75%. The total Exchequer funding that will be required to draw down the available EAFRD funding will depend on the types of measures to be included in the new Rural Development Programme and on the co-financing rates specific to these measures.

While final decisions in relation to what measures are to be included in the new RDP have not yet been made, my Department is in ongoing contact with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to the overall financing that will be required and also with the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government in relation to the level of EAFRD funding to be reserved for LEADER under the new RDP. I expect to make decisions in relation to the measures to be supported under the new RDP by the end of this year, and to submit a draft programme to the Commission in early 2014.