Margaret Conlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

With limited resources, awkward and most difficult choices have to be made. I am pleased that REPS will continue and accommodate farmers wishing to join in 2009. The allocation for 2009 will be increased to €355 million.

I encourage my Cavan-Monaghan constituency colleague, the Minister, Deputy Brendan Smith, to continue working as hard as he is at present in his new brief. He stated that the scheme ends on 31 December 2008 and that is still the position. The farming community will continue to form the backbone of society and we will continue to support the agrifood sector. We are committed to continuing investment in this sector. It is important that farmers complete their projects and get their documentation submitted——

See this speech in context