Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

All the farm organisations have been supportive of the scheme and have lauded its merits. Although it is less than two years old, it has been successful in meeting its objectives of improving welfare and husbandry standards, building knowledge of herd health and improving the breed quality of the suckler herd. The Deputy, quite rightly, raised those issues, which are important in the context of the challenge facing the beef industry of ensuring that the suckler herd does not decline. Unfortunately, there has been a decline in the suckler herd this year. Without the suckler scheme, the decline would have been greater.

I am aware of the importance of the scheme but I cannot make commitments until the budget and Estimates are complete.

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