Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue remains hopeful that a CAP deal can be clinched before the end of the week.

Speaking just before what may be the final round of talks, the Minister said it was impossible to predict if there would be a deal.

“A lot will depend on the next number of hours in terms of the engagement that happens between now and whatever time,” he said.

“It’s in everyone’s interest that there is an outcome and a conclusion.

“There’s still a lot of water between the Council and the Parliament, but, at the end of the day, there’s a whole night of negotiations ahead and things can move quite quickly.”

Key issues

He reiterated the key sticking points for Irish farmers that remain unresolved - eco schemes, convergence and front-loaded payments.

There are expected to be a range of compromises tabled at talks this evening before farm ministers are recalled to give their thoughts on a final package, if it materialises.

The likely landing point on eco schemes is ringfencing 25% of direct payments, with a range of flexibilities to ensure funds do not go unspent.

The rate of payment convergence is set to be increased from 75% to 85%, while mandatory redistributive payments remain on the table with a budget of 10%.

Combined, the three elements would represent a significant shake-up of direct payments from 2023.

Farm payments

Minister McConalogue, alongside farm ministers from Austria, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Belgium, met with the Portuguese president of the European Council Maria do Céu Antunes earlier.

At the meeting, they put forward their main demands, which, for Ireland, includes ensuring maximum flexibility at a national level.

As talks look set to enter a fourth, defining day, ministers are on standby to review and potentially approve a deal.

“One person's guess is as good as another person's guess as to what time we'll be recalled at tonight, whether it be before midnight or after midnight or later. So, whether there'll be a deal or not, it's impossible to say,” Minister McConalogue said.