IFA

IFA president Joe Healy has said that the proposal from European Budget Commissioner Gunther Oettinger of a reduction in the CAP budget post-2020 is a big blow for Irish farmers.

“It is clear that the commission has moved to fill the Brexit gap, but they have prioritised other areas at the expense of the CAP, which is another setback for Irish farmers on foot of the UK decision to leave,” he said.

He also called on the Irish Government, Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan and our MEPs not to accept the CAP budget. “They must pull out all the stops and reject the cuts agenda by the commission,” he said.

ICMSA

ICMSA president Pat McCormack said the proposed cuts were unacceptable and he called on the government to tell the European Commission the proposals were unsustainable.

“The Irish Government must firstly tell the Commission that cuts to CAP are out of the question and Member States – including Ireland – must make up the Brexit deficit and, secondly, we must seek out Member States with a similar commitment to the integrity of CAP and make a common cause with them,” McCormack said.

ICSA

ICSA president Patrick Kent has said today’s announcement will be very worrying for Irish farmers.

"The 5% cut in CAP which translates into 4% cut in direct payments is unacceptable," Kent said. "All options must be explored including national co-financing of direct payments, subject to strict guidelines to ensure fairness for all EU farmers."

“A cut in CAP funding simply cannot be absorbed by Irish farmers. It is impossible to expect farmers to do more and more for less and less, and this message has to get through."

ICOS

“This proposed cut of 5.3% to CAP funding represents a yearly reduction of nearly €3bn," said ICOS president Martin Keane. "This is totally unacceptable for Ireland and Europe generally and it must be vehemently resisted by the minister for agriculture, by the Government and by our MEPs.

“As direct payments with the CAP make up over 100% of the income of up to 60% of Irish farmers, such a reduction in funding would have a devastating impact on farmers income and enormously severe consequences for the rural economy.”

Macra

Macra na Feirme president James Healy said that now is the time for Member States to step up and find a way to bridge the proposed 5% gap. "Agriculture needs strong generational renewal now, and the upcoming CAP must recognise this," Healy said.

Irish Government

Visiting Germany's new Minister for Food and Agriculture Julia Klöckner in Berlin, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said that Wednesday's announcement marks the intensification of an important debate on the future of the CAP budget.

"I outlined Ireland’s concerns to Minister Klöckner in relation to the proposals and stressed in particular that the CAP remains a priority for Ireland in the context of its central role in supporting the development of an innovative and environmentally sustainable agri-food sector across the EU,” Minister Creed said.

Fine Gael

Mairéad McGuinness, MEP and first vice president of the European Parliament, has described the proposed cuts as 'unacceptable' too. She said that a reduction in CAP spending would hit both direct payments and rural development funding, if allowed to prevail.

However, McGuinness has acknowledged that this is the opening proposal from the Commission, it is not the final position.

“That will be determined by the response of member states to the proposal and whether they are willing to stand by cuts to farm payments and cohesion policy,” she said.

Fianna Fáil

Fianna Fáil's agriculture spokesperson Charlie McConalogue TD has said that farm families across the country will be worried for their futures following today’s proposal to cut CAP funding. “CAP payments make up around 75% of total farm incomes in Ireland, and any reduction in subsidies will have a seriously detrimental impact on thousands of farmers and their families," Deputy McConaloghe said. “While a UK exit from the EU will leave up to a €4bn hole in the CAP budget, the remaining EU 27 need to show solidarity with their primary producers. Additional contributions must be made by Member States to fill the gap," he added, calling on the Government to build support against the proposed EU budget.

Sinn Féin

Sinn Féin MEP Matt Carthy said that the proposed cuts illustrate the Government's failure to insert Irish priorities into the Commission's budget deliberations. “Direct payments are fundamental to the survival of many farms. Cattle and sheep farmers, for instance, are 100% reliant on direct payments," he said. “What we now have is a proposal that the Irish people would pay significantly more to the EU budget but would see a reduction in the funding streams that are most important to us," he added. "The Commission is, in effect, suggesting that agriculture be the sacrificial lamb in plugging the Brexit funding gap."

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