Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We will, and I will be brief. I welcome the budget in general. All of the vibes so far have been positive, especially from the point of view of agriculture. There is good news for the suckler welfare scheme, which will now be called the genomics scheme, under which €60 will be paid for every calf that is born from 2014 onwards. The old suckler welfare scheme has left the scene. Farmers were worried that the sector would be undermined by a lack of confidence. The new scheme is a positive measure.

The disadvantaged areas scheme is crucial in my part of the country in the west. It has been in place since the early 1970s. In 2009, €1,000 was taken out of it. Thankfully, the scheme is being maintained this year and there has been no further cut. This will give vital confidence to farming families that depend on the scheme to maintain their incomes.

The sheep grasslands scheme will provide €1,000 to people who undertake training and discussion groups with Teagasc. They will gain a great deal of expertise.

Younger farmers who have been trained and are taking over or inheriting land from older farmers will be charged no stamp duty.

That is very positive. We want to see a cohort of younger farmers coming through the system. Now that our agricolleges are full we will have more educated farmers. It is important we support them and ensure they get off on the right footing. This will drive the economy. The possibilities in terms of the agrisector are massive. Currently, 300,000 people are employed in the sector, which is also growing at the rate of 12,000 to 14,000 jobs per annum. This boost will provide additional confidence. Taken in conjunction with the CAP reforms which will kick-in in 2015, the future for the sector is exciting and positive.

I cannot let this opportunity pass without welcoming the additional investment in the Wild Atlantic Way, which is a tourism project along the west coast. Another positive initiative is the retention of the 9% VAT rate, in respect of which I have received many positive calls. I welcome today's budget, which is positive. I am delighted to be here to share this news with the House.