The 2004 spending proposals for my Department, which were published recently, provide for gross and net allocations €1.39 billion and €935.1 million respectively. The gross estimate includes a sum of approximately €108 million for forestry, responsibility for which will transfer to my Department on 1 January 2004.
The gross allocation for 2004 is €62.2 million, 5% higher than the corresponding 2003 figure. However, when account is taken of the reduced expenditure requirements related to BSE in 2004 arising from the improved disease situation, the gross expenditure provision for my Department for 2004 is approximately 8% higher than in 2003.
The increased Exchequer funding, when considered alongside the expenditure of a further €1.6 billion on EU funded agricultural measures, including direct payments to farmers, will bring total expenditure by my Department to approximately €3 billion in 2004.