Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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365. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will respond to the pre-budget submission from the Irish Farmers Association; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34173/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Farmers Association pre-budget submission deals with both taxation and expenditure. Taxation policy is primarily the responsibility of the Minister for Finance. However I have on-going contact with Minister Noonan to ensure that taxation policy reflects the Government’s commitment to agriculture, as evidenced by our cooperation on the ‘Agri-taxation Review’, which was published as part of Budget 2015. The Agri-taxation Review is a comprehensive taxation strategy for the sector and the Government’s commitment to agriculture was evidenced by the immediate implementation of the majority of its recommendations. Of course it was not possible to implement all of the recommendations in one budget. My Department and I have been engaged with the Department of Finance on the outstanding recommendations from the Review and other taxation matters, including those raised by the faming organisations, which are being considered in the context of Budget 2016.

In relation to expenditure, the 2016 Estimate for my Department will be considered within the context of the annual gross expenditure ceilings which will be allocated to all Departments at the time of Budget 2016.  My intention is to ensure that all resources available to my Department will be managed to provide the optimum economic benefit to the agri-food sector in terms of realising its future potential.