Over the coming weeks, decisions will be made both at a European and national level that determine farm payments out to 2027.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue travels to Luxembourg early next week for CAP talks seeking maximum flexibility for decisions to be made in Ireland. Closer to home, he faces a testing battle to secure a fully financed CAP.

The EU provides 100% of Ireland’s direct payment budget but rural development schemes are co-financed by member states.

National governments can top up money from Brussels by a further 57%.

A fully funded rural development programme could be worth €5bn to farmers over the course of the CAP.

But with the Exchequer facing a multibillion euro COVID-19 debt, McConalogue will have to fight his cause.

Responsibility

IFA president Tim Cullinan told the Irish Farmers Journal that there was huge responsibility on Minister McConalogue to ensure the largest possible CAP budget.

“The minister must secure the full 57% [co-financing]along with delivering on a programme for government promise to ring-fence €1.5bn from carbon tax for agriculture,” Cullinan said.

On Friday, technical CAP talks will be at their most delicate stage when Cullinan attends a farmer protest led by COPA-COGECA in Brussels against the reforms.

“Whatever the outcome of these talks, it will not be good for farming and that’s because of a lack of funding,” Cullinan said.