I fully agree with the Deputy's key point about the setting of targets for the agriculture and food sector. We have to ensure our capacity to produce food will continue into the future. We are a world leader in sustainable production, with our grass-fed, pasture-based model. It is important we continue that. It is also important to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the food we produce. That is the way forward, not only to make a real contribution to tackling climate change but also to ensure that our sector is…

I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine pursuant to Standing Orders 95(3)( a ) and 181(1).

All Deputies are notified in advance.

I thank Deputies for their many and varied contributions on Second Stage of the Bill. In the main, they have a strong understanding of, and commitment to, the need for a timely introduction and implementation of an effective, proportionate and dissuasive points system for masters of fishing vessels. This is an important measure to support a level playing field on control and to support sustainable fishing in compliance with the rules in the waters around Ireland on which our fishing fleet is strongly dependent. As …

I thank the Deputy for the question. It is a bit rich to be talking about hiding. Every time he talks about convergence, I do not see too many Sinn Féin Deputies from certain parts of the country fronting up, or in his company. However, I thank the Deputy for the question. These are the first oral questions since the agreement last month, which was really important. It happened at the end of June when the Council of Agriculture Ministers reached political agreement with the European Parliament on the reform of the …

-----on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, over that period. Government approval will be sought-----

-----before submitting the plan to the European Commission by the deadline of 1 January 2022.

This Government is sovereign and is elected. It makes these decisions on behalf of the country. Importantly, in doing that, I will consult first and foremost with the farming community. This is something Deputy Carthy did not want to do. He wanted Europe to dictate what should be happening. Over the last number of weeks, he advocated for that to be done. That contradicts the stances Sinn Féin takes on many other issues. I have always said that I want to bring this to farm families across the country, and that is wh…

-----we see Sinn Féin Deputies from certain parts of the country absent from the debate. This will have significant implications for farm families of the next seven years. It is important that this is brought before them, fully debated and examined. I am glad to have brought that flexibility back home so that we can-----

It is the same at every meeting in the country.

Would you get back up the yard, Deputy Carthy? It is rich to come in here and make a big song and dance about the Dáil being able to make decisions about this, when the Deputy wanted Europe to make these decisions.

The Deputy did not want to have the flexibility for us and for me, as Minister, to work and consult with farmers across the country and to have that flexibility at national level.

The Deputy wanted to cut that off at the pass at European level.

Now he has come in here to talk about engaging and consulting, which is total hypocrisy. I hope he will welcome the fact that I secured the capacity and potential at European level to introduce a maximum payment of €66,000.

I fought for €60,000 and I achieved €66,000. This is a good deal less than Deputy Carthy’s party's position of €80,000 until he decided to follow the Fianna Fáil policy.

I am glad to have secured a good, balanced, flexible CAP deal European level. I look forward to discussing that with farming families across the country, those who are going to be served and impacted by it over the next seven years.

I thank Deputy Daly for his question. The Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board, ALAB, is an independent body established by statute for the purpose of considering appeals of ministerial decisions in respect of aquaculture licence applications. The situation in respect of the number of appeals pending is an operational matter and one on which the board can respond directly to the Deputy. We will ensure that the Deputy is provided with the relevant information from ALAB. There has been a challenge in recent years in re…

It is not appropriate for me to get involved or to comment on decisions that are currently with ALAB, specifically. ALAB operates statutorily separately from the Department and has to be given the opportunity to fulfil its statutory obligations to assess any appeals. I understand that there are appeals in respect of the applications and the areas to which the Deputy referred. On a broader note, I must emphasise the importance and dedication of the Department in ensuring there is a timely approach to ensuring that l…

I thank the Deputy. I do not have the details on the application in question or the notifications associated with it because those details were not encompassed by the initial question. I will, however, have a note sent to the Deputy outlining the current position.

I thank the Deputy for her question. The aim of the CAP is to all support farmers across the community to continue to produce top quality and sustainable food. The redistributive mechanisms currently in place under pillar I of the CAP seek to create a more even payment landscape and target funds where they are needed most. These redistributive mechanisms comprise a core EU policy and are set to continue into the new CAP from 2023. The development of Ireland's CSP involves several stages, including a strengths, weak…