I am committed to the development of a strong and sustainable suckler cow sector and am fully aware of the issues facing the sector at the moment. In the context of the Food Harvest 2020 strategy, a challenging budgetary situation and ongoing discussions on a new Rural Development Programme, I will give careful consideration to various policy options that will reward efficiency, productivity and quality in beef production with a view to enhancing the future competitiveness of Irish beef and live exports. Any such measures will be announced in the context of the 2014 Budget.