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

The straight answer to that question is "Yes". We will ensure farmers are not shortchanged and that all the available funding under the rural development plan is fully drawn down for a whole series of schemes, including GLAS, the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, the sheep welfare scheme, the beef genomics and data programme, the organic farming scheme, the knowledge transfer programme and so on. There is a multitude of schemes through which farmers receive support. It is a key priority for us to draw down all available funds, and Ireland is good at doing that. We will ensure we do the same this time around.

The total expenditure envisaged under the agri-environment scheme, including GLAS, over the lifetime of the scheme is €1.4 billion. That will include transitional funding for remaining commitments arising from the agri-environment measures in the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. There is a continuation of some of those schemes. It is not accurate to say there will be a pool of €300 million plus left on the table which we should reallocate to some other schemes. That is not how the schemes work.

See this speech in context