Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

-----to which we are not privy. The Minister's comments were gratuitous, but we will take them on the shoulder.

We will make our budgetary proposals this week. It is important to recognise that tax forgone is like awarding a grant, in that it is money the Exchequer does not get. A large number of small farmers would be helped by a much simplified tax system. This could be done easily because we can compute incomes very accurately and apply standard costings. For many farmers, keeping receipts and paying accountants are not justified by the level of income they make. If the Minister wants more details on this, I am willing to show him exactly what I suggest.

I welcome the proposal on producer groups, but I am concerned they might not work. In the case of liquid milk, for example, farmer-owned processors have still not solved the problem with the supermarkets, as the Minister knows. Similarly, producer groups have not solved the problem in the horticulture sector.

See this speech in context