Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I do not need a chill pill. I will not rise to the opposition. Through REPS 4 €28 million is available to farmers in a specific mixed grazing scheme. Hill sheep farming applications are in and are being reviewed. They are happening now. ICBF is working at present with the sheep breeding industry. Some time ago I established a Teagasc centre of excellence, which is working with farming enterprises to consider all the issues, including the processing sector. The investment has been made and the closing date is Friday, so investment will be made in the processing side. Further discussions on clarification are needed for the processing sector. That all represents ongoing work. At the moment REPS 4 farmers will receive specific targeted funding towards the sheep sector in addition to that for the hill sheep sector. That is the existing financial aspect. The rest is ongoing work done in consultation with all those involved in the sheep sector as well as a targeted marketing approach to encourage people under 45 years of age to eat sheep meat.

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