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

I thought that increase was merited. It went to the Congo and was sanctioned in December. I assure the Chairman it is money that is being well spent. However, that contribution, which is part of the overall calculation in respect of the Government's commitment to the development aid budget, is not money that would have been spent elsewhere. Nevertheless, I consider it to have been worthwhile expenditure.

As for some of the other questions, on education and the new young farmers schemes that will be rolled out in the new rural development programme, RDP, farmers will be obliged to show they have an appropriate qualification. One cannot have a situation in which families decide to hand over the farm to a son or daughter simply to get a 25% top-up on their single farm payment if that son or daughter is not actually farming. In other words, there is a no-change scenario with the running of that farm but people simply try to reapply in a son or daughter's name to get the top-up payments. This is not acceptable and, consequently, a young farmer would be obliged to show he or she has come into farming within the past three years. Obviously, such farmers must be under the age of 40 and will get a young farmers top-up payment for five years, while under the age of 40, as part of Pillar 1. Likewise, under Pillar 2 preferential treatment essentially will be given in respect of grant aid. If they are investing in their farms, they will receive a 60% grant support for the total cost of a project, rather than the 40% grant aid support that applies to everyone else. However, for those positive supports for young farmers, there will be a requirement and an obligation on that young farmer to show he or she has a suitable qualification, such as, for example a green certificate. They will be obliged to get this either on a temporary course through evening classes or whatever or will be obliged to attend an agricultural college to get it. I consider this to be appropriate.

The agricultural colleges unquestionably are under some pressure. It is amazing that a decade ago, people were talking about the need to close agricultural colleges and we now are struggling to provide enough places and to have enough staff. However, the Department will continue to support Teagasc in respect of the resources it needs to provide that education. I can provide the Deputy with a note, if he wishes, with regard to Teagasc training programmes but the figures are available for him to seek.

On the beef genomics, essentially this is a policy approach. I do not think it possible to patent DNA testing, which is essentially what this does. However, if a genuinely unique management system is developed that can be patented, perhaps that should be considered. Essentially, this programme is about gathering data on to a central database and comparing accurately DNA samples with the performance of animals in order to be able to make accurate predictions into the future. This type of centralised database approach will provide farmers with really useful information for their future breeding programmes. It will be managed by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation, ICBF, which currently manages the national database for the beef herd anyway. It will involve building a couple of new layers onto its central database system.

If there is anything to be patented that we could export for a financial return in the future, we will certainly look at that.