Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The purpose of today's meeting is to have a pre-budget briefing from the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I welcome the Minister and his officials to the meeting. The Minister will be aware that the Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine meeting on 22 July this year considered the 2013 Estimate for the Department in the context of the existing policy and financial framework. Budget 2014 will be announced at the earlier date of 15 October and the purpose of today's meeting is to engage with the Minister on the financial allocations being considered for 2014, the targets that arise from those allocations and related issues.

I propose that we begin by inviting the Minister to make a brief opening statement and then I will invite questions from members, to be taken in the usual order.