€11bn at Stake for Ireland in Eu Budget Negotiations – IFA

IFA President John Bryan said the CAP Budget, which will be decided by the Heads of Government in Brussels tomorrow, is worth a potential €11bn to the Irish economy from 2014-2020, and achieving a positive outcome is vital to underpin growth for farming and food. “It is critical that the Taoiseach forges alliances with other Member States to make a strong case at the Brussels summit for the retention of CAP funding in full.”
John Bryan will meet Taoiseach Enda Kenny in Brussels tomorrow morning (Thurs), ahead of the opening of crucial EU budget negotiations, which will decide the budget for the Common Agricultural Policy for the next seven years.

Mr Bryan said he would be seeking to maintain the pressure for full funding for the Single Farm Payment and the Rural Development Programme. “Decisions made by the Heads of Government over the next two days will have a very significant bearing on the future prospects of our largest indigenous sector.”

The IFA President said on top of maintaining full funding for the single farm payment the key objective of the Taoiseach must also be to ensure that Ireland secures an annual Rural Development allocation of €350m to give a total allocation over the 7-year period of €2.45bn.

He continued, “Ireland’s funding allocation for Rural Development must reflect past performance and participation in the Rural Development programme.  In addition, to ensure a full commitment from our government to the CAP, we will be insisting that national co-financing of Pillar II is set at 50%. A number of countries have made a special case for a set allocation of Rural Development funds and Ireland must secure the same”.