Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 554: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will extend the farm waste management scheme beyond its deadline in view of the inability of builders to source sheeting and other materials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35929/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The deadline of 31 December 2008 for completion of work by farmers under the revised Farm Waste Management Scheme introduced by my Department in March 2006 is a condition of the EU state aid approval for the Scheme. The European Commission has since reaffirmed that it expects Ireland to respect this deadline strictly. The issue was debated in detail by the Dail last week and all farmers holding a valid scheme approval were urged to note that the deadline of 31 December 2008 will not be changed.