The aim of this scheme is to improve the standards of animal welfare and in turn poultry production inIrelandin line with EU levels.

According to Deputy Doyle “the extension of this scheme will help poultry producers already burdened by financial pressures, to meet the high animal welfare standards and food production levels set out under EU regulations. Assistance under this scheme will in turn help poultry producers to safeguard their future business prospects by complying with these regulations. Furthermore, this initiative will help to promoteIreland’s reputation and commitment to producing high quality food inEuropeand wider afield.”

“€16million has already been set aside, underIreland’s Rural Development Programme for this welfare scheme. However, the Minister has indicated that applications totalling approx. €11.2 million had already been received from farmers under the Scheme prior to8 June 2011.

“Hence a sum of €4.8 million is still available for those applying from now up until the revised   closing date for receipt of applications under the Scheme will now beFriday, 12 August 2011.

I urge any poultry producer who feels that they may be able to improve the animal welfare standards on their farms and thus increase their production levels, to apply for this scheme promptly before this new closing date”.

For your convenience, the application forms in use for the Scheme, prior to its suspension on 8 June 2011, can be used by applicants for this purpose and the standard terms and conditions will continue to apply in relation to any new applications received.”

Application Date Fast Approaching

The Rural Broadband Scheme has been launched by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. This Scheme, which is an EU funded measure under the Rural Development Programme in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, is designed to make a basic broadband service available to premises in rural locations which are not served by existing internet service providers.

If you are looking for a broadband service, you should first check the names of the internet service providers operating in your county on the Callcosts website – www.callcosts.ie and approach these to obtain a service.

You can also check if you are living in an area covered by the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) on the NBS website, www.three.ie/nbs. If you live in an NBS area, then you are guaranteed to be offered a service by 3, the NBS internet service provider.

The Rural Broadband Scheme is intended for people who live outside of the areas covered by the NBS and who are unable to obtain a broadband service from providers operating in their area. The following cities and towns are excluded from the RBS: Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Dundalk, Sligo, Letterkenny, Athlone, Tullamore, Mullingar, Cavan, Ennis, Kilkenny, Mallow, Monaghan, Tuam, Wexford, Ballina, Castlebar, Tralee and Killarney.

Ireland is still lagging well behind our European neighbours in terms of households with broadband access. Sweden shows the highest at 79.5%, with Ireland at 53.7%, which falls below the EU27 average.

Full details of the Scheme can be found by visiting the website of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources www.dcenr.ie , and follow the links for the Rural Broadband Scheme, where you can apply quickly and easily online. You can also apply by post using the application form on the website or by phone, call the RBS on 1850 678 100 or 01 678 2020.

Please note that the closing date for applications is 29^th July 2011.