Johnny Brady (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

This budget is the first phase in the fundamental restructuring of the public finances in returning them to a sustainable position while maximising the economy's potential to grow and create jobs again. The main task of the Government has been to secure the best interests of the nation in challenging times. The Government has made hard choices and taken unpopular decisions in the interests of security and the well-being of our people.

I am glad the provisions of the budget protect older people as far as possible. Fianna Fáil has always worked hard to protect the elderly and vulnerable in our society. When resources were available we invested heavily in improving social welfare rates. Over the past ten years our social welfare expenditure increased from €6.7 billion to €21 billion. There has been no reduction in the old-age pension and the free travel scheme and household benefit package of allowances for a television licence, telephone, gas and electricity will be maintained at current levels.

As we all know, the recent freeze has had a serious impact on everybody and I am glad that a once-off additional two weeks payment of the fuel allowance, worth €40, is to be made to those entitled to it in the next few weeks. I also welcome that the half carers' allowance will continue to be paid to people who are full-time carers and who receive another welfare payment. The extra payment for caring for more than one person will also be retained and carers will also continue to get an annual respite care grant of €1,700 for each care recipient. The weekly carers' allowance rates for carers aged 66 and over of €239 will not be changed.

The agri-food sector is also protected in the 2011 budget, with measures recognising the key role to be played by the sector in driving the country's economic recovery. I welcome the promise to increase spending in the agri-environment schemes such as the rural environment protection scheme and the agri-environment options scheme, which will move from €330 million to €337 million. Spending on the disadvantaged areas scheme will be maintained at €220 million for the year.

Bringing forward the payment of the final instalment of the farm waste management scheme from early next year to this month is most welcome. This will be a boost to farmers and their families as they face into an expensive Christmas period. I am calling for the minimum delay in the processing of those payments. Additionally, the 25% stock relief for farmers and the special incentive stock relief of 100% for young trained farmers will be extended for a further two years from January 2011.

I welcome the measures to provide €32 million for the suckler cow welfare scheme in 2011 to ensure the Department can make the 2010 and 2011 payments under the scheme in 2011. Previously, the practice had been to pay a year in arrears. I am delighted the work of farmers has been recognised in the budget. As the Minister for Finance noted in his budget speech, our agriculture and agrifood sectors have been among the most successful areas of the economy during the course of last year. It is important we recognise the effort and bring forward measures to help consolidate the work during 2011. It is important to note that despite the many difficulties facing the economy, our farming sector and the elderly have been protected in the budget.

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