Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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253. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the strategy being deployed at EU institutional level and with his European counterparts to resist cuts to Pillar 1 and 2 of CAP as proposed under the MFF 2021-2027. [20780/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Multi Annual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021 - 2027 proposals which were published on 2 May 2018 are detailed and complex and will require careful study in preparation for the detailed discussions that will begin shortly. The proposals will be under-pinned by even more detailed legislative proposals in each of the sectoral areas. 

The CAP is and will continue to be a key policy of strategic national interest for Ireland. It is important that the EU continues to fund programmes that work and work well. Expenditure in the area of agriculture helps support 44 million jobs across the EU, while contributing to European Added Value (EAV) through rural sustainability, food safety, animal welfare, and environmental standards.

I have consistently called for a strong CAP budget post 2020. Key to ensuring that as strong a CAP budget as possible is delivered, is to establish alliances with like minded Member States where possible. In that context, I have held formal bilateral meetings with my EU Agriculture Ministerial counterparts since January 2018. The shape of the CAP Post 2020 was a significant feature at each of the meetings. Recent meetings with the German and French Agriculture Ministers on 2nd and 3rd May respectively, coincided with the publication of the MFF proposals on 2 May. These meetings gave me the opportunity to outline my concerns the MFF proposals will have on the CAP. Additional meetings are scheduled to take place with my counterparts from Poland, Romania and Belgium in the coming weeks. 

In addition to these formal bilateral meetings, I regularly meet my EU Ministerial colleagues at the monthly Agri-Fish Council meetings, and will have a further opportunity to discuss the future of the CAP at the forthcoming informal Council meeting in Sofia on 5 June with a further Council scheduled for Luxembourg on 18 June. I also keep in regular contact with Commissioner Hogan and his officials and met with him recently in Dublin on 26 April. 

My Department officials are also having regular and constructive engagement with their EU counterparts.

 It is important to state that the MFF proposals are the first stage in a complex negotiation. A number of member states have already indicated that they are not willing to provide additional own resources to the EU Budget. Ultimately the MFF will must be agreed by Member States and the European Parliament and therefore this will be an extremely difficult process. 

Both I and my Department officials will continue to work closely with other Member States, the European Commission and the European Parliament to ensure adequate resource allocations and to achieve the best possible outcome for Ireland’s agriculture sector in the next programming period.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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254. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount the CAP budget has been reduced in the MFF 2021-2027 proposals in absolute terms and when inflation is considered over the 2021-2027 period. [20781/18]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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255. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the deficit in the EU CAP budget following the UK intention to leave the Union as reflected in the MFF proposals for the 2021-2027 period; and the annual amount and total deficit over the same period. [20782/18]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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257. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reduction in direct payments under pillar 1 as proposed under the MFF 2021-2027 for Ireland in monetary terms and the percentage reduction. [20784/18]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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258. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the MFF 2021-2027 and the reduction in the co-financing support in the rural development programme by ten points; the impact this will have on Irish pillar 2 funding; and the steps being taken to resist this. [20785/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 254, 255, 257 and 258 together.

The European Commission published its proposal for the Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021 - 2027 on 2 May last.  It proposes a total CAP budget ceiling (EAGF and EAFRD) of just over €365 billion in commitment appropriations at current prices for the EU 27.  

This compares to a ceiling of approximately €408 billion for the EU 28 in the MFF period 2014-2020  (table 1 of COM(2017), 554 final on 27/09/2017). This figure includes the UK ceiling in the period 2014 - 2020, which is approximately €27 billion. The comparable figure for the EU 27 therefore is approximately €381 billion. This is saving of approximately €16 billion over the seven year period, averaging €2.3 billion per annum.  

The Commission has not published the proposed allocations for member states at this point.  

I am disappointed with the proposed cuts to the CAP budget post 2020.  Over the next few years farm families will be required to play a vital role in the protection and enhancement of the environment and the production of food to the highest standards in the world. These high standards, and the family farm model, are part of the fabric of European values, but come at a price that EU citizens have shown they are willing to pay. We need farmers to take active steps to mitigate climate change, protect water quality and biodiversity, and improve their competitiveness. A strong CAP is a prerequisite if these objectives, which are in the best interests of all citizens, are to be achieved. In addition, European agriculture is also facing into a period of significant market uncertainty against the background of Brexit. 

An important point to note is that we are at the very beginning of what will be a long and complicated process as discussions on the MFF proposals get underway. In that context, I have been meeting with EU counterparts since January, most recently with the German and French Ministers, with a view to building consensus amongst farm ministers around the need for a strong CAP budget. Additional meetings are scheduled to take place with my counterparts from Poland, Romania and Belgium in the coming weeks.  

I will continue to work closely with other Member States, the European Commission and Parliament to ensure adequate resource allocations and to achieve the best possible outcome for Ireland’s agriculture sector in the next programming period.