Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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196. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the schemes that will be funded under the on-farm capital investment proposed for the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15509/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department published a consultation paper on the new Rural Development Programme in January 2014. This paper set out a number of priorities in the case of possible on-farm investment schemes under the new Programme, including further support to encourage investment in the dairy sector in view of the forthcoming abolition of milk quotas; an enhanced scheme of grant-aid for young farmers; investment in low-emission slurry-spreading equipment; improvements in certain pig and poultry facilities; bio-energy; and a new farm building measure to support the construction of animal housing and slurry storage.

My Department is currently examining the possibilities for developing new schemes under each of these broad headings, in the light of the comments received from the various stakeholders as part of the public consultation process.