Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Over the last five years. One can twist and turn these figures whatever way one wants. In terms of the savings we are being asked to make versus other Departments next year, our figure is 8.5%. My colleague is calculating the savings in respect of some other Departments and I will give the members those figures. My job is to minimise the amount of cuts we have to make in our Department, first and foremost, around the Cabinet table and, second, to spend the money as constructively as we can.

For the purposes of this meeting, the idea that we will able to make a decision on the amount of money we will spend next year is, with respect, a bit of a waste of time because that is an argument I have to win around the Cabinet table. If we have to make savings what we could do here, and the members will find me to be constructive on this, is discuss how we might make and structure them. For example, is the approach I took to DAS last year better than an approach of taking money off the top and, if we are taking money off the top, should we target the area for which farmers can apply in order that we prioritise smaller rather than bigger farmers? Should we examine trying to differentiate between farmers in disadvantaged areas in terms of levels of disadvantage? These are the kinds of difficult discussions into which the members could make an interesting input and to which I will listen and that will influence policy, but it is up to the members as to whether they want to be involved in that process.