Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

92. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he remains satisfied that farm families here will continue to benefit from Common Agriculture Policy reform in a fair and equitable fashion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43478/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am satisfied that farm families in Ireland will benefit from the reformed CAP in a fair and equitable fashion. Data from Teagasc’s National Farm Survey shows that direct payments accounted for 77% of family farm income on average in 2013, and are even more significant as a source of income for drystock farms, particularly those in disadvantaged areas.

The environmental focus of supports under CAP reform, with a ‘greening’ payment under Pillar I and funding for the new GLAS scheme under Pillar II, will enhance the sustainability of Irish farms. The enhanced support for young farmers under both Pillars, in conjunction with the Budget changes recently introduced following from the Agri Taxation review, should encourage greater land mobility and earlier transfer to young trained farmers.

With regard to direct payments, the decisions I made to implement the partial convergence model with a minimum payment per hectare will lead to a greater convergence of payments per hectare in Ireland, albeit at a much slower rate than the Commission’s original proposal for a flat rate payment per hectare. I believe that the new system will continue to reflect the realities of production in Ireland.