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MEP and first vice president of the European Parliament Mairead McGuinness has called for analysis by the Department of Agriculture on how the next CAP will impact direct payments to be released.
McGuinness, an MEP for the midlands-northwest said that the draft legislative proposals for the new post 2020 CAP are subject to change pending the outcome of the European elections.
“The newly elected parliament may adopt the work undertaken by the outgoing agriculture and rural development committee or decide to start the process again and disregard the position adopted by the committee in April.
"Ahead of the committee's vote, I wrote to Minister [for Agriculture Michael] Creed urging him to carry out an impact assessment on how implementation of convergence of payments would impact on a range of family farms.
“It’s critically important that we know the impact of such a move,” she said.
Evidence-based policy making
She said that the Minister's response to her said the Department is a “strong proponent of evidence-based policy making” and that it is “analysing the impact of various elements of direct payments in these draft regulations” - namely assessing the impacts of the amended Commission proposals.
The Minister confirmed to her that preliminary modelling exercises have been carried out, with the results continuously being reviewed as negotiations on the next CAP evolve.
McGuinness wants the minister to release these figures to the public to ensure that an informed debate can take place.
Strategic plans
Under the new CAP proposals Ireland will be required to draw up a strategic plan outlining how the CAP will be implemented in the future.
A proper land use policy drafted with sustainability issues in mind - including economic sustainability - is urgently needed
This presents an opportunity for Ireland to develop a land use policy that takes account of sectoral issues - beef, dairy, tillage, horticulture, forestry, bio-energy and renewable production - and strikes a balance between them, McGuinness said.
She also said that the absence of an overall land use policy has led to a silo approach to sectoral issues and division between regions.
“A proper land use policy drafted with sustainability issues in mind - including economic sustainability - is urgently needed.
“The rapid expansion of dairying without any consideration of the knock-on effects on land availability, calf numbers, slurry and emissions has resulted in an imbalance in the farm sector.
“There are also issues to be addressed about the health and wellbeing of farmers overstretched with ever larger herds at a time when labour is difficult if not impossible to find.”
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