If the Minister for Agriculture is worried that funds for farming schemes and grants will decline over the next three years he must say so publicly instead of refusing to answer questions on the issue.
This is the view of Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesperson and Galway West TD Éamon Ó Cuív, who has accused the Minister Simon Coveney of “refusing to give replies to simple questions raised in the Dáil”.
Dep Ó Cuív said that the Minister has “refused to give an estimate” of the expenditure in the existing Rural Environment Protection Scheme for 2013, 2014, and 2015. No new members can join the scheme and the Department is aware of the likely number of members to leave the scheme each year.
The Connemara TD also requested an estimate for the expenditure under the AEOS 1, 2, and 3 schemes in the same years, and about the number of people who had applied for a derogation under the Disadvantaged Area Scheme, yet the Minister “refuses point blank to do so”.
“He also refused to give information in relation to the number of derogations granted to date and the number refused,” said Dep Ó Cuív. “This Government promised openness and transparency but is acting in a totally contradictory manner.”
Dep Ó Cuív has accused the Minister of putting farmers “through a huge bureaucratic exercise to no avail and is now trying to hide these facts from the people”. He is calling on Minister Coveney to furnish the required information “so farmers can have an idea of the added challenges they face”.
