Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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132. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he has continued to have discussions with the farming organisations and others regarding the redistribution of benefits accruing from the Common Agricultural Policy reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26523/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Subsequent to the agreement reached at EU Council on 26 June 2013, my Department entered into a comprehensive process of consultation with the farming community and farming organisations in the summer of 2013. Detailed submissions were received from a wide variety of groups and individuals including the main farming representative bodies, a number of regional groups and from individual farmers. The results of this process were collated and formed part of the Department’s decision making process.

All of the major decisions relating to the shape of the reformed system of direct payments in Ireland have now been taken and my Department has moved to the very significant task of implementing the new scheme. The model of convergence that will be applied in Ireland, while initially retaining the link with current payments under the Single Payment Scheme, gradually moves all farmers towards a national average value. The purpose of this model is to achieve a phased redistribution of payments between those who currently hold high value entitlements and those who hold low value entitlements. A further targeting of funds will be achieved through the implementation of the Young Farmers Scheme and the National Reserve.

The Department has undertaken a comprehensive programme of information dissemination through a series of farmers’ meetings, the provision of training to Teagasc and agricultural consultants, the establishment of a CAP Information Centre and in the production of a farmers’ booklet ‘CAP 2015: An Introduction to Direct Payments’.

Ongoing discussion with the various farming organisations regarding a wide variety of issues remains a constant feature of the work of my Department.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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133. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline any particularly sensitive issues arising in relation to revised farm support payments emanating from the Common Agricultural Policy reform; the extent to which he expects to reach agreement in regard to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26524/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The core issue arising from the reform of the Direct Payments related to the redistribution of available funds between those who historically held high value entitlements and those who held low value entitlements. This issue has been resolved in a fair and equitable manner through the development of the ‘Internal Convergence Model’ which has been widely advertised and explained.

However, in the case of direct payments, the new Direct Payment Regulation provides for significant benefits to persons who meet the definition of ‘young farmer’ both in terms of eligibility under the National Reserve and in participation in the Young Farmers Scheme. I am very conscious of the group of young persons who were unable to avail of the Young Farmers’ Installation Scheme, due to its suspension in October 2008, and who are also excluded from the benefits of being a ‘young farmer’ under the new CAP reform due to the requirement that such farmers must have established their holding within five years of their first application under the Basic Payment Scheme. I am actively investigating alternative options of assisting this group of farmers.