Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My opening statement addresses many of the issues and outlines the key expenditures for 2021. Members will have had a chance to read it and there will be an opportunity for members to come back with particular questions. We had an 11% increase in the budget for agriculture, food and the marine, which was very significant in underpinning farm incomes this year. It was important that we managed to ensure that the existing schemes under the outgoing CAP programme were continued in what we have now, a two-year transition period. Coming towards the end of a CAP programme, the schemes tend to be at full tilt in the numbers of farmers participating and the cost of running the schemes. It was significant in being able to continue those schemes. I am grateful for the support of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, for funding that.

We also secured significant additional funding for this year with €79 million for environmental measures. There is €10 million for a new agri-environment pilot. We are engaging with the Commission in seeking approval for that. We are also reopening the farm organics scheme and an European Innovation Partnership, EIP, on farm safety, led by the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon. It is a budget which very much reflects the important role of agriculture, food and the marine to our economy and the very important role that the Government and I, as Minister, see the farmers as having. We are doing everything in our power to underpin farm incomes in the budget. I commend the Revised Estimate and look forward to the engagement with the committee.