Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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1028. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure that CAP payments are focused on productive farmers rather than non-active landowners. [8657/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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To be classified as a productive farmer for the Basic Payment scheme, you must manage land and be involved in an agricultural activity. This includes:

- milking, breeding animals and keeping animals for farming purposes or,

- managing land that can be used for grazing or growing.

My Department implements a comprehensive system of administrative checks and other controls to ensure that those who receive CAP payments are productive farmers. This whole area is governed by EU regulations and Ireland's control systems are subject to regular EU audits.

The draft regulations for the next CAP programming period also include similar provisions, referred to as the ‘genuine farmer’ definition. The process of agreeing these regulations to provide the framework for the next CAP programming period is ongoing at EU level. Discussions on this definition along with other key issues are also on-going at national level and these are feeding into the overall negotiations at EU level, The views of stakeholders in relation to such definitions have been sought as part of this process.