Tags: budget, Cork, Farming, Ireland, Michael Creed, politics

FINE Gael Agriculture Spokesperson Michael Creed TD has lamented the failure of Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith to halt this Government’s persistent targeting of farming for budgetary savings.  Speaking after today’s Budget which saw a 13 per cent cut in the Department’s Budget, Deputy Creed said, “Hopes that the Minister might see sense at the eleventh hour and retain the Rural Environmental Protection Scheme have evaporated with the announcement of a mere €50 million allocation for the new agri-environment scheme for an estimated 10,000 applicants which marks a significant drop for REPS farmers.

“The spiralling decline of farm incomes which hit the 30% mark in 2009 will continue with this announcement and in turn the social welfare bill for farm assist will continue to soar.

“The Government should have adopted Fine Gael’s proposal to exempt farm diesel from the carbon tax.  Farming is a carbon heavy process where there is no alternative to farm machinery and vehicles.  By failing to exempt agricultural diesel from this carbon tax the Government are merely taxing farm activity.

“The much heralded announcement of €116 million for the plantation of 7,000 hectares makes a mockery of the recent Programme for Government promise of a 10,000 hectares per annum plantation.  The budget allocation similarly undermines the Government position as it amounts to a mere 2 per cent increase on last year’s allocation.”