The EU presidency rotates among member states every six months. Bulgaria currently holds the reins, and will be followed by Austria, Romania and Finland. Ireland brokered both the EU budget and CAP policy outcomes in 2013 while holding the presidency and will hope Austria’s tenure is pivotal.

A general election and change of government would change everything. Michael Creed and Fine Gael are likely to favour minimal reform, although government independents may reflect the western perspective, which would favour front-loading and capping of payments. A Fianna Fáil-led government is likely to have a different approach. With Charlie McConalogue, the Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesman being from Donegal and Martin Kenny, his Sinn Féin counterpart, from Leitrim, any change of Government will change Ireland’s CAP policy.