RURAL environmental protection and early retirement are the main beneficiaries of a £43 million increase in 1997 Estimates for agriculture - both of which have been welcomed by the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA).
The beef tribunal costs continue to feature in the Department's budget, with a provision of £11 million next year for costs. The amount expected to be paid in 1996 on foot of costs awarded by the tribunal is expected to be approximately £6.2 million.
The IFA president, Mr John Donnelly, said it was clear that EU measures for agriculture, supported by Structural Funds, were going to run into difficulties next year due to inadequate resources.
This was particularly notable in the case of on farm investment measures, where the schemes had long been closed to new applicants, he said. The budget for headage payments in disadvantaged areas had been cut by 8 per cent, which could have a serious impact on the incomes of some farmers in these regions.
Two areas relating to the BSE crisis have been identified in the vote: a provision of over £8 million for computerisation to trace beef and underpin consumer and customer confidence, which has been welcomed by the IFA; and a 113 per cent increase in the provision for costs arising from market intervention.
Other key features include a provision of more than £101 million for the rural environment protection scheme (REPS) - an increase of almost 80 per cent over 1996; allocation of almost £63 million for the farmers' early retirement scheme, representing a 43 per cent rise over this year; and an allocation of over £72 million for forestry.
The Irish Horseracing Authority is to receive an increase of £1.5 million.