The president of Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) Pat McCormack has expressed concern that the proposed EU funding deal may lead to a sacrifices in Irish farming and rural support.
McCormack said: “While it is premature to call the matter absolutely, it did look suspiciously like Pillar II CAP funds were being targeted as an easy source of monies to be diverted to other funds, which adds on top of the existing proposal to reduce Pillar I payments.
“Farmers and rural communities are looking on anxiously as the feeling grows that the system of supports that maintained their economic and social viability seemed to have been put on the table.”
Special provisions
The ICMSA has said it accepts the question is one of overall national interest.
“The Government has to realise and act on the reality that it is the farming and food sectors that totally underpin the economy outside of the cities and bigger towns”, McCormack continued.
“This needs to be recognised, accepted and incorporated into our approach to the headings under which final funding will be allocated. Special provisions may have to be agreed ensuring that our CAP budget, both Pillar I and Pillar II, are at least maintained at existing levels.”
On COVID-19-related EU support, McCormack said there’s not much point in maintaining or increasing support for certain sectors of the Irish economy, if that is at the expense of the vulnerable and exposed farming and food sectors.
Read more
BPS cut would be a 'shocking failure' – IFA
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The president of Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) Pat McCormack has expressed concern that the proposed EU funding deal may lead to a sacrifices in Irish farming and rural support.
McCormack said: “While it is premature to call the matter absolutely, it did look suspiciously like Pillar II CAP funds were being targeted as an easy source of monies to be diverted to other funds, which adds on top of the existing proposal to reduce Pillar I payments.
“Farmers and rural communities are looking on anxiously as the feeling grows that the system of supports that maintained their economic and social viability seemed to have been put on the table.”
Special provisions
The ICMSA has said it accepts the question is one of overall national interest.
“The Government has to realise and act on the reality that it is the farming and food sectors that totally underpin the economy outside of the cities and bigger towns”, McCormack continued.
“This needs to be recognised, accepted and incorporated into our approach to the headings under which final funding will be allocated. Special provisions may have to be agreed ensuring that our CAP budget, both Pillar I and Pillar II, are at least maintained at existing levels.”
On COVID-19-related EU support, McCormack said there’s not much point in maintaining or increasing support for certain sectors of the Irish economy, if that is at the expense of the vulnerable and exposed farming and food sectors.
Read more
BPS cut would be a 'shocking failure' – IFA
Marathon EU summit on CAP and COVID-19 continues
EU’s Farm to Fork not a ‘straitjacket’ for farmers – Calleary
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