Colm Keaveney (Galway East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will get to several specifics, but first I welcome the Minister. I now understand the great effort that has been made to present the information in this format. If I am correct the Minister is scenario building vis-à-vis what are the possibilities in the budget in light of the executive function of Cabinet and the decision he will make as Minister when it comes to the budget. I have an understanding of where we are.

With respect to constructive proposals I call on the Minister to examine intensively certain areas, including the agencies, where savings could be secured with respect to direct costs to the Department. In particular I am aware of an arrangement in Galway whereby the Department rents at a cost of approximately €800,000 per annum a Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine building in Galway city while there is significant capacity in Teagasc in Athenry. I am prepared to drill down and to help, support and back my Minister in terms of identifying where savings can be made if it means that we can open up opportunities, especially in the area of the suckler cow welfare scheme. I would be alarmed if the Minister suggested that he was building a scenario whereby there could be a €12 million saving next year based on the fact that it is possible that he could opt not to continue it.

However, there is an economic argument for discussing the continuation of the scheme. If my figures are correct, last year we exported almost 115,000 animals abroad under live export. In terms of the cost of that scheme over a five year reference period, is it correct to state that it was a €26 million scheme? Let us suppose the average revenue secured for the cost of an animal was €1,000. That represents almost €115 million to the local economy in terms of the potential spend vis-à-vis the cost of the scheme. There is a solid economic argument we should consider in this area.

It is difficult not to play politics with this process.