Michael Finneran (Longford-Roscommon, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I call on the Minister for Agriculture and Food to update the costings to 2006 levels in determining the grant level under the new farm waste management scheme. In raising this matter I am very conscious of the Government's commitment to agriculture and the excellent work being done by the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Coughlan. I compliment her on her attention to her portfolio. That contribution is recognised by farm leaders and others throughout the country. It is obvious that her negotiating skills and interaction with her opposite numbers at the Council of Ministers and in the Commission are bearing fruit in the best interests of Irish agriculture.

The Government brought forward a new farm pollution grant scheme, which was cleared by the European Commission. That was necessary in the context of the need to put in place a nitrates directive and give farmers an opportunity to meet future stringent regulations regarding farmyard pollution. That is an excellent scheme, with a 60% grant available. I raise this matter because the scheme's grants are based on 2004 costings. I call on the Minister and the Government to update those to 2006 levels. Numerous representations have been made to me by individual farmers and the farm organisations outlining the major gap showing between the grant and the tender prices being received by farmers. In some cases the grant is being reduced to 50%, and I am aware that in some cases it was lowered to 40% and 45%.

I am conscious that contractors and those in the construction industry generally have an enormous amount of work available to them. For that reason they can price different projects at a very high level. That may be reflected in some cases in the estimated tender prices farmers are getting but, irrespective of that, we must update the way the grant is calculated. The calculation at 2004 levels does not reflect the cost to the individual farmer today or the 60% grant this Government has agreed with the European Commission and the farm bodies to put in place these important measures.

I am aware this issue has been discussed in the social partnership talks. I do not know how far it has gone or whether it can be finalised but I want to add to the debate the concerns of farmers in Roscommon-South Leitrim and the farm organisations in that area with whom I have an excellent working relationship. My raising of this matter should not be viewed in any way as a criticism of the scheme or the excellent work being done by the Minister but it is important that farmers are in a position to take up this scheme. I believe they will take it up if we upgrade the costings to 2006 levels. I make that request to the Minister and her Department.

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