Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I raise the issue of ash dieback and the €79.5 million package for farmers that has been announced by the Government. I cautiously welcome the package, and I will explain why in a moment. The package represents a significant change of heart on the part of the Government, which originally did not want offer a package in respect of ash dieback, a matter that has been raised many times in this House and in the Dáil. Clearly, the stage of the electoral cycle we are at has helped to progress the package at this point. We have the upcoming the local and European elections and a general election will be held in a matter of months, so political leverage has been used. We know that people are getting in the neck, particularly in rural constituencies. I travelled to a number of them-----