Smith: Co-financing of payments under CAP unaffordable for Ireland

THE notion of co-financing of direct payments to farmers under the Common Agricultural Policy would obviously be unaffordable for Ireland in current circumstances and also for many other European Union member states.

Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Brendan Smith made this clear when he addressed the IFA organised forum on harnessing farming, food and the green economy in Dublin this week.

“More fundamentally, it would arguably represent re-nationalisation of the only real common policy of the EU,” he said.