MacLochlainn hits McConalogue with 'his bizarre behaviour at EU level' in latest row between parties
Who is wearing the right CAP on this one?
Donegal Sinn Féin TD, Pádraig MacLochlainn, has called on his fellow Donegal Fianna Fáil TD and Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue to appear before the Dáil to explain what the SF Deputy claims was "his bizarre behaviour at EU level where he has fought against proposals that would see an additional €10million delivered to Donegal farmers".
He said that CAP negotiations that were expected to conclude this week ended without agreement between the European parliament and the blocks agriculture ministers.
“Donegal is one of the counties set to benefit the most from full-flattening of basic farm payments. This alone would see an estimated additional €9,888, 483 allocated to Donegal farmers. So, why has the Minister from Donegal fought so hard against this at EU level?
“Instead he is within a minority of Agriculture Ministers that want to keep the inequality of payments in place. These payments are based on production levels of twenty years ago!
“Charlie McConalogue has been fighting against the rebalancing of those payments, as has happened in nearly every other EU country, that would deliver extra money to Donegal farmers.
“He has been fighting against measures that would ‘front-load’ payments meaning that there would be a higher payment on the first number of hectares, being of particular benefit to smaller farmers.
“And, he is fighting against proposals that would place a maximum limit on the amount that any one farm could receive – again distributing more supports to poorer farmers.
“Essentially, we have a Donegal Minister fighting against the interests of Donegal farmers. It is unheard of!
“The Irish Minister for Agriculture is delaying agreement on the CAP because he wants the flexibility to NOT implement these measures that will benefit our county and would bring much needed fairness to the CAP system.
“In opposition the Minister demanded continued convergence during the transition period. In power he has stalled the entire CAP process in order to stop it."
No doubt the Donegal Minister will have something to say himself in reply . . . .