Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the committee members and Mr. Bryan and his colleagues. The responses have given us some extra insight into the issues. The end of the official budget submission refers to sustainable investment in energy security and emissions reduction. The IFA may have referred to the Energy (Biofuel Obligation and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, the bioenergy scheme and the renewable energy feed-in tariff, REFIT. These and other taxation measures are probably areas that will be easier to secure agreement with the Government and with the Minister in particular. This may not necessarily be the case with all Departments but certainly with some. The Minister outlined some of the proposals he has submitted to the Department of Finance with regard to taxation measures. These concur a good deal with the comments of the deputation. No doubt an evaluation will be done and, for example, in the case of the AEOS, the people who are in genuine need are protected. This was the thrust of the effort last year. Perhaps it did not work as well as expected but the effort was to try to protect them and to ensure that those who were availing of it when they had no real need of it are made to be active. The matter of active farmers is a discussion for another day.

We were under some pressure for the meeting room but it turns out that it is not as critical now. I thank everyone for their attendance and I thank the IFA for its submission.