Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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212. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated cost of launching a new suckler cow welfare scheme in 2014 based on the previous scheme criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41686/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am committed to the development of a strong and sustainable suckler cow sector and am fully aware of the issues facing the sector at the moment. In the context of the Food Harvest 2020 strategy, a challenging budgetary situation and ongoing discussions on a new Rural Development Programme, I will give careful consideration to various policy options that will reward efficiency, productivity and quality in beef production with a view to enhancing the future competitiveness of Irish beef and live exports. Any such measures will be announced in the context of the 2014 Budget.