Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I cannot give figures on pillar 2 because we have not yet decided on that. It is not my decision alone. It is my decision along with the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and their Departments. We need to put expenditure in place for the next three years and I need an expenditure commitment for the next seven years. I assure the Deputy that I will be fighting hard, as I always do, for agriculture, farmers and the agrifood business to ensure we put as much public money as we can into those areas, both from Europe and the Exchequer. As the economy starts to grow, I want to ensure we can increase funding for a sector that is giving far more than it is taking from the economy. Until those decisions are finalised, I cannot give the Deputy a figure.

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