Yes vote in best interests of farmers and rural communities

AS the author of the report into the future of the sheep and lamb processing sectors in Europe, I strongly believe the interests of Irish agriculture are best served by supporting a yes vote in the Lisbon Treaty referendum.

I believe that to advance the cause of Irish agriculture in Europe, Irish negotiators must deal with political issues from a position of strength, and not from one of weakness.

For example, I want to implement a series of proposals in Europe in the context of my report. I can do this more easily on the back of a yes vote for the treaty.

Irish negotiators can effectively deal with issues such as modulation in the context of the CAP health-check, which will be concluded this December under the French EU presidency, from a position of strength on the back of a yes vote.

Even after the CAP health-check review 2008-’13, Irish negotiators will have to sit down with other EU governments and see how we are going to spend the annual EU budget for the period 2013-’21.

Irish farmers have received €41 billion under the CAP since 1973. Irish agriculture is receiving €12.2 billion from the EU in the period 2007-’13.

This is serious money and we must negotiate CAP spending playing on the centre of the pitch in Europe.

A no vote will just torpedo Ireland into the reviewing stands without any say whatsoever over policymaking in Europe over CAP issues. I share the real concerns of Irish farmers in the context of the WTO framework.

The Government is working with a number of other EU governments and with the president of the European Commission so that the concerns of Irish farmers are fully addressed in the context of the WTO talks.

The WTO process is facing aninordinate amount of obstacles at this time not only in Europe, but in India, the US, China, Brazil, New Zealand, and in Africa.

Even in the context of the ban on Brazilian beef imports into the EU, which was imposed last December, this could not have been achieved unless political support was garnered within the European political structures. Fianna Fáil MEPs fully backed this ban on Brazilian beef imports and we lobbied many other politicians in Europe to support our stance and the position of the IFA. The French government is backing this treaty to the hilt. Where will the Ireland/France axis be in the context of CAP in the event of a no vote?

As an Irish member of the agriculture committee in the European Parliament, I firmly believe it is in the interests of Irish farmers, their families and rural communities to support this EU treaty.

Nothing will be gained for Irish farmers on the back of a no vote.

Liam Aylward MEP

Hugginstown

Co Kilkenny