Attempts being made to fund suckler scheme

AN Irish application to reduce Single Payment Scheme entitlements in order to provide funding for the Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme has been confirmed by Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney.

He told the Dáil the application to the European Commission was submitted in July, seeing to avail of the Article 68 facility, in order to fund the suckler scheme.

However, he said no definitive decision has been taken on whether to proceed to fund the scheme through this mechanism. A decision on the matter will be taken in the context of finalising the 2012 Estimates for the Department of Agriculture.