The conditions governing direct income payments are set down in EU Regulations and therefore any changes in these conditions would require a proposal from the EU Commission and the agreement of the Council of Agriculture Ministers.
The 1992 CAP reform measures which switched the emphasis from market supports to direct payments had the effect of getting support more directly to producers as well as containing a bias in favour of small and medium sized producers. Overall the reform package has been favourable to Irish agriculture.
The agricultural elements of Agenda 2000 largely follow the path of the earlier reform and contain a proposal to modulate payments. The detailed aspects will not be presented by the Commission until the end of next month. It is my intention, in the forthcoming negotiations on Agenda 2000, to pursue the objective of equity in the direct payments system.