13th March 2014

Fianna Fail Spokesperson on Agriculture Éamon Ó Cuiv addressed the ICSA National Executive meeting in Portlaoise on Wednesday March 12th. During the meeting, Deputy Ó Cuiv agreed with the ICSA’s call for a regulator for the beef sector. This was welcomed by ICSA President Patrick Kent who said “a regulator would go a long way in redressing the imbalance which currently exists in the anti-competitive beef sector, which continues to be strongly weighted in favour of processors at the expense of producers.”

At the meeting, Deputy Ó Cuiv presented his proposal for an alternative distribution of Irish CAP funds, which prompted healthy debate from the floor. There was general agreement that cattle and sheep farmers must be prioritised with regards to Pillar 2 funding allocation which will be distributed as part of the next Rural Development Programme.

Deputy Ó Cuiv pointed out that it is his understanding that Ireland does not have to communicate its final decisions on the distribution of CAP funding to the EU Commission until August 1st.