Galway East TD Ulick Burke has called on Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith to extend the Farm Waste Management Scheme in light of recent conditions.

The scheme, which is due to end on 31 December 2008, facilitates the management of farm waste by providing grant aid to farmers for investments in storage facilities for silage and agricultural wastes, animal housing and equipment for the application of farm waste.

Deputy Burke said the scheme "has given a massive boost to the construction sector in an otherwise difficult situation for that sector while at same time it has provided state-of-the-art buildings."

In view of the bad weather and the credit squeeze, Deputy Burke said many farmers have to wait for the Single Farm Payment or the sale of weanlings later in the year in order to fund the projects.

"There is an onus on the Minister to extend the scheme, otherwise many construction workers and those working in supplying materials to the industry will end up on the live register," he said.

"All of these workers are paying PRSI and tax and their wages put money into the local economy. It is important therefore that the Minister recognises the need in these difficult times to extend completion dates for many of those who are caught in these circumstances," he concluded.

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