Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I share the same ambition as Deputy Scanlon. I appreciate that the Deputy comes from a constituency where the suckler beef sector is a strong component of delivering high quality weanling cattle, perhaps to the plains of Kildare and Meath, for further onward fattening. It is a critical part of that rural economy. Both of us share that ambition that they would have a return for that endeavour. That is why, while direct prices with meat plants, in the budget we introduced this pilot initiative in the area of environmental efficiency which will deliver a €40 payment per weanling. My ambition is to make that scheme as simple as possible and as cost neutral as possible for the farmer and deliver the maximum amount of that into the farmer's pocket.

Also, as Deputy Scanlon will be aware, and as has been alluded to by Deputy McLoughlin in Question No. 10, ANC payments are another way of delivering direct income support into that sector where they are operating under that designation. Skewing that payment in favour of those who are on the higher levels of disadvantage delivered significant income opportunities last year and that will continue this year.

The ambition of the beef data and genomics project is to deliver the highest genetic merit beef herd that we can and in so doing, maximum the profitability of the sector. We are making considerable progress in that regard.

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