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SIMON COVENEY HAS hit back at claims by the Irish Farmers’ Association that some of its members are set to lose up to 50 per cent of their income because of proposed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms.
The Agriculture Minister told Morning Ireland that the group’s president John Bryan wants to keep to the status quo.
“It is not surprising the IFA is upping the pressure on me,” Coveney said, two weeks ahead of European negotiations on CAP reforms, including the single farm payment system.
“They want to make sure I don’t forget about their priorities. The IFA wants to make sure the most productive farmers don’t lose substantial portions of their payments.”
Coveney insisted the changes will not take money from Irish farmers, but will redistribute it in a fairer manner.
“Some farmers have done very well, others have not done well.”
The Minister said that Ireland had been successful during discussions as the other 26 European ministers had changed their minds about how Ireland could redistribute payments. Original proposals would have seen every farmer get an equal payment of €270 per hectare, regardless of productivity or costs.
“Last Monday, we achieved a significant victory. Ireland don’t want to give the same payments…we will be allowed flexibility. It hasn’t been finalised yet and I need time and space to negotiate it.
“I was the only minister out of 27 arguing a different model. We’ve got our way.”
Coveney has proposed that farmers receiving CAP payments take a 2 per cent cut so the income of young farmers can be topped up.
“Everyone wants to minimise their losses and maximise their gains. I am the person in the middle, making sure it is fair.”
He insisted that redistribution will happen, noting that Bryan wanted to keep the system as is.
Earlier on Morning Ireland, the IFA President had accused the government of conceding too much at EU commission discussions.
Bryan said the changes to farmers’ incomes could cause irreparable damage to the sector.
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Simon Coveney is one of few hard working politicians this country has.
No such thing!! Too busy with the noses in the trough!! They are all the same!
I think his deal for ireland will inevitably result in disaster for the agricultural industry and all concerned. Simon needs to communicate with the famers and not his civil servant advisors.
He’s from a farming background himself, so I imagine he has some idea how it will affect farmers.
Yes there is and the man in the picture above is a fine example of one !
Coveney is absolutely right. IFA are a bloody disgrace in this instance. As with IBEC in other sector, they are interested in keeping the big money with the big boys and consolidating a big farmers holding to the absolute destruction of the small guy. Any if you young farmers out there with less than 250 acres, back Coveney boys and girls cos he’s your only hope against the big boys in this round of negotiations. Look at the UK and you will see the pattern clearly, particularly in dairy and tillage.
It’s the same with their opposition to student grant means testing on assets over €750,000. It’s very unfair that those farmers who have the means to pay fees get a grant while many struggling middle income earners have to fork out the full amount.
Am i correct in saying all land owners will be entitlrd to s.f.p whether or not they are farming the land. The payments to all will be diluted to pay these and if so what will happen to the price for rented land. It will be sky high.please correct me if i am wrong in this.
Farmers do pay fees if they can afford to and those who
Sorry was not finished. Those who cant dont. Not all farmers are wealthy. Thats why some qualify for grants.
Unfortunately too many farmers and their families vote Neo- liberal which is not in the interest of the vast majority of them . And as u said waht happened in UK and in Fruit and veg growers here in Ireland will happen to most farmers if subsidies are cut – ie they will go out of business .
if the minister can achieve this ” flexibility ” it may delay this ineveitable process – but do people who vote for their own demise deserve to be ” bailed out ”.
It may well be at the expense of the more effeicient – and there is no way that farm size as it is at moment can be maintained in a ” Free Market ”situation .
those who used the SFP to upgrade and modernise may survive – but even they will feel the strain – and farm sizes will become bigger and bigger – abd farmer numbers less and less .
So the government continue to attack the people it represents. How in gods name can a minister attack the IFA like that considering he is meant to represent them in Europe. Disgraceful.
He does not represent the IFA. He is suppised to represent the best interests of the entire country, which can at times be at odds with those of the IFA
Sorry he is the minister of Agriculture so he does represent farmers.
And does James Reilly represent doctors? Or Leo Varadkar represent the GAA?
Exactly they don’t. And no person in goverment represents the people.
Did you just contradict yourself?
No did you?
Give it up. Game set and match to Alan
Do many of the above posters know much about CAP, farming or the IFA (i’m no expert) …
Not an easy task to redistribute a smaller pot of money to younger farmers to encourage productivity with out ruining older more established farming units , personally I’d give equal access based on productivity, but progressively weighted to smaller units… But as I said I’m no expert…
@Mark. If it was to redistribute ALL their wealth equally, I’d say difficult, but to start from here redistributing fairly for the future,and as you say, in a weighted method, I’d say, go for it! Now is the time, before milk quotas end and while the dairy man/woman is busy building up herd numbers:-P
Makes a change for gov. minister to attempt help the weakest in an industry. The last few years all they’ve done is steal from the poor to give to the rich.
” ….. On the pub jukebox”
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