Aontú Senator Sarah O’Reilly has said that leaked draft proposals from the European Commission on funding has caused undue stress and worry for farmers at a time when many are literally struggling for their very survival.
The Commission proposals suggest the possibility of merging CAP funding with other funding streams. In addition, Irish farmers receive €2bn in CAP funding annually. However, there are fears this will be significantly reduced.
Senator O’Reilly said uncertainty is really damaging for any sector and farmers are unduly exposed to uncertainly.
“My phone has been hopping this morning with farmers who are really knocked sideways by this. Like me, they realise it is just a proposal and just being mooted, but it is very unsettling nonetheless,” she said.
“I find it very disconcerting that the budget for CAP payments would be lumped in with other budgets and the specific funding would no longer be a standalone payment.
“We know that anything that is not totally ringfenced can be eroded and reduced and that really is the nub of the issue.”
North and west
The European Commission has classified the north and west of Ireland as a ‘lagging region’ based on GDP and poverty levels.
O’Reilly is from the Cavan-Monaghan constituency; she said farmers in this region are already disadvantaged and are running to stand still as they have to contend with unique challenges.
“As it is, Cavan and Monaghan farmers who are farming some of the poorest land in the northeast are receiving several thousands of euros less in CAP payments than their Dublin counterparts,” she added.
“The very purpose of CAP payments is to sustain those who work on the land, particularly those farming in challenging conditions, the bad, rocky, wet land, where every inch of progress is hard earned.
“We need our Government and our Minister for Agriculture to put Irish farmers first and fight these proposals.”
Read more
‘Commission downgrading importance of CAP’ – IFA
End of two-pillar CAP is a threat to food security - Sinn Féin
Aontú Senator Sarah O’Reilly has said that leaked draft proposals from the European Commission on funding has caused undue stress and worry for farmers at a time when many are literally struggling for their very survival.
The Commission proposals suggest the possibility of merging CAP funding with other funding streams. In addition, Irish farmers receive €2bn in CAP funding annually. However, there are fears this will be significantly reduced.
Senator O’Reilly said uncertainty is really damaging for any sector and farmers are unduly exposed to uncertainly.
“My phone has been hopping this morning with farmers who are really knocked sideways by this. Like me, they realise it is just a proposal and just being mooted, but it is very unsettling nonetheless,” she said.
“I find it very disconcerting that the budget for CAP payments would be lumped in with other budgets and the specific funding would no longer be a standalone payment.
“We know that anything that is not totally ringfenced can be eroded and reduced and that really is the nub of the issue.”
North and west
The European Commission has classified the north and west of Ireland as a ‘lagging region’ based on GDP and poverty levels.
O’Reilly is from the Cavan-Monaghan constituency; she said farmers in this region are already disadvantaged and are running to stand still as they have to contend with unique challenges.
“As it is, Cavan and Monaghan farmers who are farming some of the poorest land in the northeast are receiving several thousands of euros less in CAP payments than their Dublin counterparts,” she added.
“The very purpose of CAP payments is to sustain those who work on the land, particularly those farming in challenging conditions, the bad, rocky, wet land, where every inch of progress is hard earned.
“We need our Government and our Minister for Agriculture to put Irish farmers first and fight these proposals.”
Read more
‘Commission downgrading importance of CAP’ – IFA
End of two-pillar CAP is a threat to food security - Sinn Féin
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