Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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73. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the progress towards the programme for Government commitment to propose a lowering of the cap on basic payments. [47096/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The 2016 Programme for Government undertook to propose a lowering of the cap on basic payments from €150,000 to €100,000 during a mid term review of the CAP. Due to the ongoing simplification and modernisation programme of the existing CAP, it is unlikely that a mid term review of the existing CAP will now take place.

Since the 16th October 2015, the maximum amount payable to any one applicant under the Basic Payment Scheme in Ireland (excluding the Greening Payment) is capped at €150,000 per annum and this option is set down in Regulation 1307/2013, which establishes the current rules for direct payments to farmers under support schemes within the framework of the current CAP.  Ireland actively supported the concept of a maximum level during the current CAP negotiations back in 2013.  A further lowering of the limit would require a legislative change of the Basic Act 1307/2013 (Direct Payments Regulation) in Council.

I am however committed to addressing this matter in the context of the future reform of the CAP, with the Commission scheduled to publish a communication on CAP post 2020, on 29 November 2017.