Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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378. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the suggestion following the publication of the CAP communication of the future of food and farming on degressive payments; and his understanding of this proposal and the principle of degressive payments. [52769/17]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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379. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the suggestion following the publication of the CAP communication of the future of food and farming of a compulsory capping of direct payments taking into account labour to avoid negative effects on jobs. [52770/17]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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380. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the suggestion following the publication of the CAP communication of the future of food and farming of an enhanced focus on a redistributive payment in order to be able to provide support in a targeted manner to small and to medium-sized farms. [52771/17]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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381. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the suggestion following the publication of the CAP communication of the future of food and farming of ensuring support is targeted to genuine farmers, focussing on persons that are actively farming in order to earn their living. [52772/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 378 to 381, inclusive, together.

I welcome the publication by the European Commission on 29 November of the CAP Communication titled “The Future of Food and Farming”.

The document comes against the backdrop of the Commission White Paper on the Future of Europe published on 1 March 2017, and the public consultation on the future of the CAP carried out in the first half of 2017. The Communication proposes a simpler CAP, with a sharper focus on objectives and results, particularly in the environmental area. I welcome the commitment that Direct Payments should remain an essential part of CAP, as they provide an important safety net for family farms and ensure there is agricultural activity in all parts of the EU.

The Communication outlines a number of possibilities that should be explored to improve the targeting of direct payments, including compulsory capping of payments, degressive payments and redistributive payments to small or medium size farms. It also suggests that support is targeted to genuine farmers, focussing on those who are actively farming in order to earn their living.

My Department is currently reviewing the Communication but of course detailed proposals will only emerge in the context of legislative provisions to be presented by Summer 2018.

Degressivity involves the reduction of payments above a certain threshold. Under the current CAP, degressivity was possible for payments exceeding €150,000. Ireland has effectively decided to limit the maximum amount payable to an applicant under the Basic Payment Scheme (excluding the Greening Payment) to €150,000 per annum by applying 100% degressivity after that amount, as provided for under Article 11 of Regulation 1307/2013.

The Deputy will be aware that the 2016 Programme for Government, proposed a lowering of the cap on basic payments from €150,000 to €100,000. An opportunity to address this issue may arise in the context of the proposed CAP Reform.