Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)

I am clutching at straws. The Minister stated the scheme was closed "for now". Is she holding out the prospect that the scheme may be reopened in 2008? Is she not embarrassed that a scheme launched less than six months ago had to be suspended last Friday? That reflects an appalling inability in her Department to predict the pent up demand for capital investment on farms. I acknowledge the investment provided under the farm waste management scheme but I refer the Minister to farm gates. Many farmers are in a scheme that was supposed to provide grant assistance under both the farm waste management and farm improvement schemes but, having gone through the regulatory and planning process, they find the door has been closed on them by the Department because it has run out of funding for the latter scheme. The Minister stated there will be an underspend in a number of schemes administered by her Department and she raised the possibility of a refund to the Exchequer this year. Is she aware of the comments of the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance in recent times regarding the downturn of the economy? He stated it is important in the context of competitiveness and efficiency to retain capital investment as an engine to drive the economy. The farming sector is a major employer. It plays on a world stage and needs to be efficient and competitive. Maintaining on-farm capital investment is as important as and comparable to maintaining investment in the national development plan and in Transport 21. Will the Minister consider informing the Minister for Finance that her Department has underspent in certain areas and ask whether this scheme may be reopened so that farmers may be allowed to get on with the works they had envisaged doing?

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