Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 403: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the ratio of administrative costs to EU agriculture grant aid for his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12836/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Information in the format sought by the Deputy is not readily available as in many instances the same staff are involved in the administration of EU funded, EU co-funded and nationally funded schemes. In 2008 my Department spent some €2.7 billion on programmes supporting the rural economy, the environment, structural change, markets and direct payments to farmers. These programmes included the bulk of EU funding for schemes operated by my Department. The administrative cost of these schemes was approximately €103 million, which is less than 4% of the total expenditure.