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

With respect, I am not going to confirm anything today until I have concluded an agreement with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform who is working with me on this matter and has been very helpful on it. This issue was a priority under the Irish negotiations and there is nothing to prevent Ireland from designing the kind of rural development programme and the funding we need. We do not need the European Union mandating us to do that. Different countries want different options.

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