Smith warns of need to prioritise his department’s spending in Budget

AS THE Government prepares for next month’s budget, Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Brendan Smith warned at the Agricultural Science Association conference in Galway that it won’t be possible to do all of the things it might otherwise like to do.

He said the Government will be prioritising its expenditure plans in the light of expected tax revenues in 2009 and he will be doing likewise in his department.

Minister Smith said the focus is on ensuring that the right decisions are taken to develop a strong platform from which the country can best position itself to take advantage once the current period of uncertainty is over.