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

On the last question first, I am familiar with Mallow Search and Rescue, which was very helpful at the time of that tragedy at Union Hall, as have been many other organisations, both on rivers and in respect of sea tragedies and drownings. However, the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, SFPA, plays a very different role. It is not primarily responsible for safety, which primarily is the role of the Coast Guard, the RNLI and the Naval Service. Most of the time, the SFPA's activities centre on enforcement of the rules and of ensuring that trawlers catch the quota they have been allocated. The authority carries out much testing onshore, when fish are being landed. It also boards some vessels, both in port and in harbours. Essentially, the authority is responsible for policing the fishing industry to ensure it is obeying the rules. While Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, is a development agency, the Coast Guard, the Naval Service and the RNLI combined provide search and rescue services. It is a fair point in respect of voluntary organisations such as Mallow Search and Rescue, of which there are many throughout the country. They raise much money and there probably should be more integration with the Coast Guard. However, I believe it is important to stress the SFPA plays a different role.

As for the cost of early retirement, I have no doubt but there will be a debate, probably in this committee and certainly in the Dáil Chamber, on the new rural development programme. It will be necessary to design a rural development programme for Ireland that can keep people farming, be consistent with the Food Harvest 2020 targets and look after those who cannot benefit from that plan. There will be many competing interests involved, from young farmers to those who wish to retire, as well as environmental schemes, disadvantaged area payments and new challenges such as climate change and the Department will have a lot less money to spend. While the Department certainly will cost such early retirement measures, it will be in a mix with many other competing interests.

On TAMS, during the lifetime of the previous Government, one of the most expensive programmes this Department has ever managed was the farm waste management scheme. Initially, the Department had anticipated it would spend approximately €200 million. However, it ended up spending €1.2 billion because it was a demand-led scheme and the Department of Finance is still pretty sore about it. It would be difficult for the Department to get sanction for a new farm waste management slurry storage type scheme unless it was designed to be and kept very tight.