FIANNA Fail yesterday accused the Government of being a "decision taking rather than a decision making" one, on Common Agricultural Policy reform and enlargement of the community.

The criticism came from the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, who said his party wished to stimulate a public debate on the CAP.

He singled out European enlargement as one area where considerable pressure would be placed on the CAP budget.

The Government had weakened Ireland's negotiating position by agreeing to postpone discussion on enlargement and the EU budget at the Madrid summit last December.

Mr Brian Cowen, the party's spokesman on agriculture, said there were many MEPs opposed to the CAP - but they were not members of Fianna Fail.

Mr Mark Killalea complained that young farmers in Ireland could not get the start in farming they were promised in the last CAP reform and there were 212,000 spare suckler cow premiums which could be used, "locked up in Department offices in Castlebar".

He said these suckler cow quotas carried premiums of between £137 and £247. "The Prince of Wales received £1.8 million in suckler premiums this year and while I have nothing against the man, I don't think that's what those who reformed the CAP wanted to see happening," he said.

The main proposals contained in the Fianna Fail document are linked agreement on the expansion of the EU budget, enlargement and the Inter Governmental Conference.