Rural share of the suffering

IT took €54 million of savings carried over from 2011 to take the bare look off the Department of Agriculture’s budget for 2012.

With only the Departments of Environment, Community and Local Government and of Transport, Tourism and Sport suffering bigger percentage cuts in funds budgeted for next year, IFA President John Bryan had a valid complaint that the Budget flies in the face of the sector’s contribution to jobs and exports.

What stuck in Bryan’s craw was the €50m hit on farm incomes in the form of the cuts to REPS4, and changes to the terms and conditions in Disadvantaged Areas and Farm Assist.