DEFA Minister claims he hasn't wasted taxpayers' money

Taxpayers' money has not been wasted in the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture over the last five years. 

That's according to the Minister who says there's 'nothing' he would view as a waste - although concedes that the public's opinion could be different. 

Richard Ronan says his department has made significant progress in making savings across the board:

He says he's also 'comfortable' that changing the longstanding Countryside Care Scheme to a new Agricultural Development Scheme was the right thing to do: