Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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57. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider co-funding a cattle underpass grant scheme with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and local authorities to keep cattle off national, secondary and regional roads (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21261/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Last year a suite of six new measures were announced under TAMS II. These measures were launched under the new Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020 and are co-funded under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). Under the scheme support is provided for the following measures:

- Young Farmers Capital Investment Scheme

- Dairy Equipment Scheme

- Organic Capital Investment Scheme

- Animal Welfare, Safety and Nutrient Storage Scheme

- Low Emission Slurry Spreading

- Pig and Poultry Investment Scheme

The construction of underpasses is not currently available under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme suite of measures. The introduction of such a measure would require a formal amendment to Ireland’s Rural Development Programme for 2014 – 2020 and approval by the EU Commission. I have no plans to introduce this measure at this time.