Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

Perhaps we should consider one of today's publications which contains an article regarding the sheep sector this week with the headline "Buyers are plentiful and prices are holding", which is good to see. The Deputy is right in pointing to a reduction in the number of sheep kept on the land, which is mainly because we are now in a decoupled era. However, I have taken a personal interest and invested considerable time and energy in the implementation of the sheep strategy. I provided funding and we considered many aspects. I agreed to the full implementation of the report, on the basis of which, in conjunction with the strategy group, we considered how it could be targeted. Under the state aid rules and because we are in a decoupled era, we were not in a position to introduce a specific scheme. However, in doing so we have targeted two types of approach, one within REPS and the other specific to hill sheep farmers under a special national reserve measure. Those were the two targeted investment programmes.

If we are to produce quality lamb and be in a position to be competitive in the market, we must consider the consumer. The consumer profile is not good and we need to address that issue. This is why we are working with the initiative to which I have spoken. A number of Members of the European Parliament, including some Irish parliamentarians, have also been working on a sheep strategy group that we are considering tying into. As the Deputy is probably aware, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has been invited to participate in that promotion at the beginning of December. We have targeted specific sectors.

On the farm improvement scheme, I introduced a scheme and, according to figures available at present, approximately 8% of applicants so far have looked towards the fencing grant and the mobile units. I will evaluate the scheme on the basis of the closure and will ascertain, arising from an enormous number of applications to the Department — approximately 6,000 to 7,000 over five days — the Department's priorities.

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