Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 669: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the agriculture budget for current expenditure in 2013 will be reduced by 8% while other Government Departments will reduce by 2.5%. [36831/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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All Departments were allocated expenditure ceilings following Government decision on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework which was introduced in the Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2012-2014. The Government decision was taken in the context of striking a balance between needs and priorities on a multi-annual basis and to meet the requirements of the overall fiscal commitments which are firmly focused on returning the public finances to a sustainable path and bringing the General Government Deficit below 3% by end 2015.