McGuinness pledges to oppose CAP budget cuts
The budget that Ireland gets from the EU Common Agricultural Policy must be maintained, according to Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness.
It comes as the European Parliament in Strasbourg today backed a report about the future of the CAP.
It sets out MEPs' views ahead of a major reform of Europe's farming policy over the next few years.
With concerns that the budget could be cut, Ms McGuinness said her main priority is to ensure that doesn't happen.
"The biggest concern for Irish farmers is that their incomes have been eroded over the last year or two," Ms McGuinness said.
"And they are very worried that their future incomes may be further eroded if we cut the payments to them.
"There are risks at the moment. We have a concern about whether we will have a sufficient budget to pay for the Common Agricultural Policy," she warned.
"So my first priority it to ensure that we hold on to the budget that Ireland gets from the European Union CAP."
