Deputy Noel Coonan has welcomed the news that farmers in Tipperary and Offaly will be allowed as an exceptional measure to spread slurry until the end of October, 2011. The local Fine Gael TD said slurry spreading should be determined by weather conditions and not calendar dates.

Mr. Phil Hogan TD, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government made the announcement today Wednesday taking account of poor weather conditions in particular during the month of September.

Deputy Coonan said: “The 15 October deadline for spreading slurry is laid down in the Nitrates Regulations and this two week extension is very welcome and will give farmers the opportunity to carry out their duties.

“I have always maintained that slurry spreading must be determined by appropriate weather conditions instead of calendar deadlines and I am calling on the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine to amend this directive because the focus should be on weather conditions and we need to move from the calendar date system.

“I want to compliment Minister Hogan on extending the deadline because the vast number of farmers are the guardians of the environment and by their very nature the great protectors. Weather conditions are beyond farmers control and this extension will make life easier on farmers in Tipperary and Offaly,” concluded Deputy Coonan.

Local Fine Gael TD has warmly welcomed the announcement by Jobs Minister Richard Bruton that he has begun preparation of a comprehensive Jobs Strategy, at the request of the Taoiseach and Cabinet Committee on Jobs.

Deputy Coonan said it is expected that the Strategy will be published in January and the action plan will be designed to challenge our current rate of unemployment. The Minister made the announcement last Thursday in his address to the US/Ireland Business Conference at Farmleigh.

“This is another example of how our Fine Gael-led Government is putting job creation top of the list. Indigenous businesses in North Tipperary and South Offaly must be helped expand their export base and create employment in the process. Alongside this, we must to attract more multinational companies to our shores and encourage those already here to further invest in our labour market.

“In this vein, the Government has created an extensive Jobs Strategy which Minister Bruton has said will ‘not attempt to compete with the large number of reports already prepared on this subject but will draw from the volume of material already available, as well as the amazing level of expertise available both in Ireland and abroad’.”

Deputy Coonan said he wholly and strongly agrees with Minister Bruton’s deep aspiration to create over 200,000 jobs to have 2 million people at work again, to significantly increase the share of our indigenous business in export markets and return to and stay in the top five countries for cost competitiveness.

Deputy Noel Coonan has welcomed the announcement that Nenagh has been chosen as the designated headquarters for the merged VECs with associated sub-office in Clonmel.

The local Fine Gael TD said: “I’m pleased there is a positive outcome for North Tipperary VEC following strong lobbying on their behalf towards this objective. This Government’s decision to merge North Tipperary VEC with South Tipperary VEC was a positive u-turn on the previous Government’s ineffective decision to amalgamate North Tipperary VEC with Clare VEC and now I’m pleased our Fine Gael-led Government is maintaining employment in North Tipperary VEC with this latest announcement.”

“I previously suggested that the headquarters be located in the Nenagh premises which is already in the ownership of North Tipperary VEC. This merger is more cohesive and it is a great relief to the staff working in Nenagh who already do a very efficient job. It will also have a very positive domino affect on the local economy and any move that maintains employment and contributes locally is to be greeted with delight,” continued Deputy Coonan.