Cap should back young farmers - Minister

IT WOULD be very desirable for the Common Agricultural Policy (Cap) to contain measures supporting young trained farmers, Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney told the Dáil yesterday.

“These are the people who will drive Irish agriculture forward to achieve the targets set out in detail in the food harvest documents,” he said.

Mr Coveney said the European Parliament had also been campaigning for special provisions to encourage young farmers and he expected the European Commission to come up with specific proposals.

EU budget proposals were to freeze Cap spending at 2013 levels, which represented a cut in real terms but stability in nominal terms.

“As there was pressure for a substantial nominal cut, this represents a reasonable starting point for the negotiations, one with which we can certainly work.

“The eventual outcome will be determined by heads of state in the financial framework negotiations,” he said.

Mr Coveney said he would be working closely with his Cabinet colleagues to ensure a satisfactory result for Ireland.

The Minister was replying to a Fianna Fáil Private Members’ motion, which was discussed on Wednesday and yesterday. It called on the Government to publish its proposals on Cap reform.

Fianna Fáil spokesman on agriculture Michael Moynihan said that during the past 25 years, Ireland had witnessed the importance of the Cap in maintaining a vibrant agricultural industry and food security.

However, he added, post-2013, it appeared the Minister would be chairing the talks on the conclusion of the Cap and the decisions that would be taken.

“There is a need to ensure that the less well-off regions, as well as the better regions, of Ireland are properly safeguarded,” he said.