Irish unrest continues over core aspects of the proposed new Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), but focus is moving onto battles that have a realistic chance of being won.

EUROPE will not be offering a soft landing for superlevy-bound Irish farmers, EU Commissioner for Agriculture Dacian Ciolos confirmed at yesterday’s IFA annual general meeting in Dublin.

GOVERNMENT efforts to continue to keep stallion fees tax-free face a major hurdle when the issue is discussed at the highest level in Brussels next month.

THE Department of Finance admitted last night that the European Commission sought further clarification on the stallion tax exemption earlier this month, despite Finance Minister Brian Cowen telling the Dáil yesterday that there had been no communication from the EU since last summer.

Harry McGee, Political Editor