Vol. 515 No. 1
107 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will respond to criticism from environmental organisations and from an evaluation by his own Department that officials and administrators in his Department lack basic field skills and ecological expertise; and the additional training, if any, he considers appropriate for his staff. [5467/00]
Within my Department there is a substantial body of relevant professional expertise which is availed of in agri-environmental matters. In addition, my Department has drawn where necessary on expertise in other Departments and organisations, and it will continue to do so.
Proposals for a new agri-environmental measure, in the form of a successor to the existing rural environmental protection scheme, are currently being considered by the EU Commission as part of a draft rural development plan. In drawing up these proposals, my Department took full cognisance of the independent evaluation report which was submitted in July 1999. When the programme is approved by the Commission, all necessary measures will be put in place to give effect to the proper implementation of the scheme.
