A CHARA: I refer to the article in The Dealer under the heading “Micheál Martin omits farming from his speech”. In it, The Dealer says that I have been on a one-man campaign to get the CAP reform deal scuttled.

I would like to assure your readers that the policy document which is the subject of Fianna Fáil meetings, that I have attended throughout the country, has the full endorsement of the front bench of Fianna Fáil, it was approved by them and is an official Fianna Fáil policy paper.

This document is not essentially about the amount of EU funding available for CAP, but the unfair proposals for its distribution. I can also confirm that all of the public meetings held in relation to CAP reform and the Fianna Fáil proposals have been held at the behest of the local organisation in each area and that the only difficulty has been accommodating all the units of the organisation that have asked for meetings, with suitable dates. Already a full-scale schedule of meetings has been organised up until the Easter break, with a waiting list of meetings to be held after Easter. The unwillingness of the Minister to enter into an open debate in relation to his proposals for Pillar I and Pillar II spending should be a concern to those who believe in a detailed analysis of all policy positions put forward.

I am not the only person who has raised issues in relation to the Minister’s proposals. The Irish Farmers’ Association recently attended the Oireachtas joint committee on agriculture, food and the marine in order to voice their concerns about the Minister’s proposal regarding the incorporation of the Grassland Scheme into the Single Farm Payment. I am aware that they have also raised issues with the Minister in relation to the GLAS scheme.

In the meantime, I will continue as agriculture spokesperson for Fianna Fáil, with the full backing of the Fianna Fáil front bench, touring the country and pointing out the deficiencies in the present proposals.