€138 million well spent

A value-for-money review of the suckler cow scheme has shown yet again that farmers respond well to financial aid.

It has also revealed the huge scope for improved productivity on farms, and that administration can soak up a lot of money that would be better spent on farms.

Introduced by Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan in January 2008, to run until the end of this year, the scheme has been 100% funded by the exchequer.