Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 396: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of his declaration of 19 November 2008 that his Department has not prepared an estimated cost to the State of the extension of the farm waste management scheme, he will provide financial explanations for his refusal to extend the scheme; his views on whether in principle an extension of the scheme would prevent job losses in the agricultural construction sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43437/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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 EU Commission has since reaffirmed that this deadline must be respected strictly.

Accordingly there are no further plans to approach the European Commission for approval to extend the deadline and I have not had any estimates prepared as to the likely cost of such an extension.