Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Agriculture has taken a beating, particularly in the west of Ireland where the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has indicated that about ¤90 million will be taken from the suckler cow scheme, REPS and other measures.

I must defend the ¤20 billion being taken out of the economy. I cannot stand over the discriminatory nature of the budget, which honed in on the elderly, those on middle incomes and those that are least well off. Shame on the Government. Clearly, the Minister of State had nothing to do with it. I have served with him in the House and I know he has a lot more heart than what was shown in the budget.