Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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While the Minister says the €100 million for the sheep welfare scheme and the €75 million for ANC are additional funds, it is clear from the Minister's presentation today that this €175 million is part of the rural development programme spend. The Minister says that when the RDP is all added up, there was a €104 million overspend which will now have to form part of the transitional arrangements into the next RDP. As such, it is not additional money and it is not extra in Exchequer terms. In fact, the Government will pay for it out of the next RDP post-2020.