Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)

I am finishing now. When we wanted to carry out upgrades to farm waste water management systems to prevent pollution a grant system was put in place that allowed farmers to build slatted sheds, concrete yards and collect waste water in a proper manner. Now we are telling people they are in limbo because there is no proposal coming from the Government on how people will be assisted. I remind the Minister who has lost touch with reality that people do not have money. They do not have spare money under the bed or in a box that they can call upon at any time a calamity befalls them. Since the Minister came into office many onerous additional expenses have been imposed on families to such an extent that they certainly do not have spare money. How does the Minister propose that people should pay for an upgrade if they do not have the money? I thank the Acting Chairman for giving me the opportunity to speak on this matter. I hope I will get a further opportunity to speak in the course of the debate.

See this speech in context