Carol Nolan Questions EU 80 Million Farm Aid as 'Drop in the Ocean'
Carol Nolan raised concerns about the European Commission private storage aid, saying the 80 million allocation is insufficient and a "drop in the ocean." She asked whether there is an opportunity to negotiate a better deal and pressed the Deputy Minister for clarification.
Concerns over EU private storage aid
The speaker challenged the scale of the European Commission private storage aid, noting that the 80 million provided for the EU is wholly inadequate. She said farming organisations have described the allocation as insufficient and asked if negotiations could secure a better outcome.
Request to negotiate further
The deputy asked whether there was now an opportunity to discuss and negotiate an improved package, repeating that the present sum covers the whole EU and is inadequate. The question sought clarity on whether further engagement with the Commission could deliver more meaningful support.
Government response and sector reaction
The Deputy Minister replied that the initial response was disappointing for the farming community but that the dairy sector were welcoming and responsive to the support available. The minister has engaged with the Commissioner to seek additional support, particularly for the beef sector where initial aid was felt to be lacking.
European engagement and next steps
The Deputy Minister said all 26 other member states have signed the letter seeking more support and that the minister will be engaging with the Commissioner again. Officials will maintain constant communication with agricultural ministerial colleagues while pressing for a better response, since what has been provided so far will not suffice.
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I'd just like to ask you a question in terms of the European Commission private storage aid. We know that 80 million was allocated and it's wholly inadequate and insufficient and I know that that's been said by all farming organisations. I'm just wondering is there now an opportunity to negotiate a better deal in regard to this because the 80 million is covering all of the EU and it's a drop in the ocean so is there an opportunity to discuss and negotiate this further? Thank you Deputy Minister, please. Thank you. I think the initial response maybe to the overall package was disappointing in that our farming community expected more but I would say that this is an initial response and I do think in particular the dairy sector were very welcoming and responsive to this particular support. What we have done and in particular what Minister Creed has done is led the charge in a response to the Commissioner to seek additional support not just for our dairy sector but in particular for the beef sector where we feel that there wasn't that kind of support provided initially. So all 26 other member states have signed this letter and the Minister I think last week outlined that he would be engaging with the Commissioner again. This week we'll be in constant communication with his agricultural ministerial colleagues but really what we would like to see is further support. What has been provided so far will not suffice and we're very clear on that and Minister Creed is very much leading the charge at a European level to try and get that better response back from our Commissioner. Thank you. Thank you.
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