Eamon Gilmore
Question:41 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his plans to support the development of off farm employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14732/04]
View answerThursday, 20 May 2004
Questions (43)
Written answers
A key policy of this Government has been to create and sustain an economic environment where employment can flourish. This is as important for farming as it is for any other sector of the economy. This ensures that small scale producers have opportunities to supplement their incomes through off farm work and that farm families have a choice in this matter. The availability of off farm jobs is extremely important for part-time farmers and it is the key to their remaining in and contributing to the development of rural communities.
Since this Government came into office, many additional job opportunities have been put in place that allow those farmers who wish to supplement their income through off-farm employment to do so. This, in effect, allows these farmers to benefit from the flexibility that is available in many of the schemes operated by my Department for full-time and part-time farmers and by the economic climate that has been put in place by the policies of the Government, which have created substantial job opportunities for those wishing to avail of off farm employment.