Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

Some €48 million will be paid in 2009 for farmer pensions and €9 million will be paid in installation aid grants. In the case of young farmers, the budget and the Finance Bill have extended a number of specific releases to the agricultural sector, worth €65 million for next year alone. I understand that during a previous period the retirement schemes were suspended and were reinstated. There is a good commitment there on the part of the Department.

The farm waste management scheme was referred to earlier. It should be mentioned that this is the most generous on-farm investment scheme in the history of the State, with funding of €615 million paid between 2007 and 2009. Since the original scheme was introduced €700 million has been paid. The sum of €615 million achieved for one scheme should be seen as a commitment of the national development plan. The partnership talks will provide €350 million for all farm investment programmes, another good sign of that commitment.

REPS 4 payments in 2009 show a 17% increase. That expenditure will ensure €355 million for REPS, a 7% increase in overall funding. I accept and understand that the reductions in disadvantaged area payments are causing the greatest impact and are possibly getting less attention. Equally, I have full confidence that the Minister is aware of the impact of this in general, and of the disproportionate impact in certain areas, and that as soon as resources allow he will act. It is important to remember that €2.3 billion will have been paid in disadvantaged area payments over the past decade.

The issue of farm to gate prices is not directly referred to in this motion but is an issue of great concern to me and to members of the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, chaired by Deputy Penrose. The committee is currently reviewing the grocery market. As part of my work on that committee, last week I attended a meeting of Macra na Feirme. I discovered that one multiple is earning €282 per lamb while farmers are getting €78 for the same animal. That is an issue the committee is committed to review. We will bring the matter to attention in January during a hearing into our food prices. I welcome engagement from the various farm organisations in that process in the new year.

It is important to remember and to reflect on the sizeable budget and the considerable expenditure that is going to agriculture for next year, despite the cuts that will affect it. I know the Minister is aware of the impact of the cuts and that as soon as resources allow he will work to alleviate the worst of those. I am happy to support the amendment and to support the Minister.

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