Minister McConalogue Sets Sinn Féin Straight On Key CAP Point
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue TD has set Sinn Féin straight for following one of his key polices on the new CAP.
In a Dáil debate last week, the Minister and Fianna Fáil Donegal TD reminded Sinn Féin that they are merely following his direction on the area of the capping of payments to farmers.
Minister McConalogue, in response to Sinn Fein TD Matt Carthy, commented:
“I’m glad you feel it’s €60,000, because you’ve followed Fianna Fáil’s position on that; because prior to that your position was €80,000.
Whenever I said it was €60,000 then you toddled along afterwards. And then you have the audacity to stand here today and try and sell yourself as that being your own policy.”
The Minister's policy has been to push for a maximum payment of €60,000 in the next CAP where Sinn Féin had previously wanted an €80,000 maximum payment.
Minister McConalogue added:
“At European level I’ve been pushing at all of the council meetings to try and keep the maximum amount that can go to any one farmer as limited and as small as possible.
My objective was to achieve €60,000.
I’ve been pushing for that at EU council level.
I’ve actually been the one that’s been pushing for that most of all EU member states.”
As could be heard in the Dáil debate, Sinn Féin now appears to be following Minister McConalogue and Fianna Fáil's policy in this regard.
The Minister finished by remarking to the Sinn Fein TD:
“Your policy was €80,000 until I set a policy of €60,000.”
