Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1126. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to cap the upper limit of payments that farmers will receive from the Common Agricultural Policy in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1083/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

During the transitional period, the provisions for capping of payments from EU Regulation 1307 of 2013 still apply.

Ireland chose to apply the maximum capping of payments possible under this regulation and will continue to do so during 2021.  Therefore, the maximum payment that will be granted to any one farmer under the Basic Payment Scheme (excluding the Greening Payment) in 2021 is capped at €150,000.

I have previously committed to further looking at the maximum payment level.  

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1127. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the convergence that will take place for CAP payments in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1084/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Convergence is a feature of the current CAP and the new CAP proposals intend to continue with this policy. Ireland has supported this element of these proposals. Convergence aims to redistribute and flatten the value of CAP payment entitlements and like all elements of the CAP, there are differing views regarding its implementation.

Under the current CAP, some €93million was redistributed from farmers with payment entitlements values above the national average to raise the value of payment entitlement held by farmers that were below the national average. This was implemented in a planned, phased manner over the five years of the Basic Payment Scheme and the steps of the convergence were notified to each farmer. This period of planned convergence ended in 2019 following its successful implementation.

The regulations regarding the transition period enable member states to continue convergence during the transition period, if they so wish. In order to provide for stability, some certainty for farmers and consultation on CAP measures, Ireland chose to rest convergence during the years 2020 and 2021.

I am reflecting on the approach that should be adopted and I will continue engagement with the relevant stakeholder organisations. I am mindful that any decision on convergence during the transition period is interlinked with plans for convergence in the new CAP. The regulations for the new CAP period have not yet been finalised.