Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 150: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of schemes run by his Department that have had expenditure reduced since 2008, broken down by year in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24619/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The information requested in relation to the schemes and services operated by the Department is set out in the tabular statement below.

Total expenditure by the Department has reduced from €2.1 billion in 2008 to the Vote provision of €1.339 billion in 2012. The reductions in expenditure over the 4 year period are due to a range of factors including the natural expiry of schemes of fixed or limited duration or of limited funding, improvements in the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery and the reductions in expenditure which have been required in order to remain within the expenditure ceilings in the Government's Comprehensive Expenditure Report, 2012-2014.

My objectives is to ensure that the limited budgetary resources are targeted in the most cost-effective and efficient manner possible obtain optimum benefit and that available funding is directed to priority schemes and services in accordance with Government policy. My overall aim is to focus the available resources in favour of investment opportunities designed to advance the objectives outlined in Food Harvest 2020 and the Government's Programme for Recovery and on ensuring a future for farm families.