Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 228: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he or his Department fully appreciates the expected negative impact of his recently announced cutbacks in the agricultural budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37800/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I am well aware of the impact of the measures introduced in the 2009 Budget for my Department. The Budget was framed against the background of a serious deterioration in the public finances and required difficult decisions to be made on the allocation of the resources available. I made these decisions in the best interests of the sector following detailed analysis of my Department's programme of expenditure and careful consideration of the options available.

Despite the economic and budgetary situation, funding of €1.8 billion gross is provided for my Department in the 2009 Budget. When combined with EU funding and co-funding of about €1.4 billion next year, this represents very substantial funding for the support and development of the agri-food sector. In framing the details of the Budget for my Department, my priority was to ensure that the available resources were targeted on a range of measures that would maintain the productive capacity of the agriculture, food, forestry and fisheries sector. My objective is to continue to develop the sector within the budgetary constraints to ensure that it is well positioned to achieving its full potential and benefit from future economic growth.