The latest report on CAP payments into Ireland for 2015 show once again what I have been saying for so long about the lopsided way the payments are skewed towards the big farmers while the small farmers in places like the West are losing out. The figures show that 2,723 farmers received a payment of over 50,000 Euro with 327 getting a payment of over 100,000 Euro. The counties with the biggest earners are Cork, Tipperary, Waterford and Meath while counties like Roscommon, Sligo, Cavan,Mayo and Leitrim are down at the bottom to the table which is what I have been highlighting all along.
I have consistently said that this system must be reviewed and that a cap of 100,000 Euro must be put on any individual farmer, reducing to 50,000 Euro over time. These payments must be spread more evenly out so as small farmers benefit more. We have to introduce a more equitable system of CAP payments to ensure that the smaller producers get a bigger slice of the pie. As it is the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.
