Johnny Brady (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the impact for Ireland of the recent announcement of the European Commission to provide additional funding for rural development. [4927/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Under the European Economic Recovery Plan the EU Commission has proposed that an amount of €1.5 billion should be made available to all Member States in their Rural Development Programmes via the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). One third of this amount (€0.5 billion) is proposed to be spent on new challenges related operations, being climate change adaptation and mitigation, renewable energies, water management, biodiversity, innovation measures relating to these areas and the restructuring of the dairy sector. The remaining two thirds (€1 billion) is proposed to be allocated to developing broadband internet infrastructure in rural areas.

It is particularly important to me that Ireland should receive a fair share of these funds, reflecting our traditionally high spend on rural development measures. I am also anxious to ensure that there should be reasonable flexibility allowed to Member States in how these funds are used within the rural development programme, which includes some of our largest agricultural schemes.

The Recovery Plan is still under negotiation within the Community and the outcome of this process and the potential amount available for Irish agriculture will not be known for some time.