Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

The Minister of State referred to wonderful schemes, feasibility studies, marketing tools, etc. Why have sheep numbers decreased by 50% in the past ten years and 240,000 on the most recent 12-month calculation? The disadvantaged areas scheme provides sheep farmers with a direct fillip in the context of their incomes. The owner of a 45-hectare sheep farm comprising mountain-type land will lose €1,055 on foot of the cuts in disadvantaged areas scheme payments. A PAYE worker would want to be earning €100,000 and be charged a levy at 1% to incur the same loss.

The REPS 4 measure to which the Minister of State referred involves €28 million. In May, only €9,000 of it had been drawn down. The measure is unworkable and the Minister of State is well aware of that.

The Minister, Deputy Smith, stated that Peter would not be robbed in order to pay Paul. What will happen to the single farm payment modulation in the context of the proposed sheep welfare scheme? I guarantee those opposite that a proposal will be made to take that money and pay it out directly by way of some measure relating to sheep. The long-term aim is to end the disadvantaged areas scheme and transfer the moneys relating to it to some rural development fund under the control of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

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