Jimmy Deenihan
Question:160 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will introduce a scheme for the housing of sheep in order to reduce the high level of fatalities among sheep and also the overgrazing of commonage.
Written Answers. - Sheep Winter Housing.
The National Development Plan for 1994-99 Structural Funds and my Department's proposals for operational programmes to implement the aspects of the plan relating to agriculture, food, rural development and forestry provide for a further scheme of farm pollution control measures including winter housing for sheep. I expect that a new scheme will be launched shortly after the plan and operational programmes have been approved in Brussels. In addition, under the new rural environment protection scheme, REPS, specified measures in relation to the overgrazing problem on commonage have been introduced.