Mr. Seán Coughlan:

As Dr. Cromie pointed out, the technology is available to the smaller farmer and, potentially, he can use it more to his or her benefit than the larger farmer. The key challenge is getting that message out to the smaller farmers because sometimes they are a little slower to engage or they have other enterprises to try to supplement their farming income. The suckler cow welfare scheme allows all the suckler farmers, small and large, to engage, and that gives us communication with what, on the beef side, are mostly smaller farms. Genomics will start coming in on the beef side and that message will be key. The challenge is to get that message out to farmers through working closely with our colleagues in Teagasc, which has the extensification system, and engaging with the industry, whether at marts, meat factories, through Teagasc advisers, in the Irish Farmers' Journal or whatever. The technology is available to the smaller farmers. The challenge is to get that message out, and we are committed to doing what we can to achieve it. The key point is that the genetic gain is on a profit per animal basis. If this year's animal is €20 more profitable, the real benefit to the national economy will be by ensuring all 2 million animals born every year are €20 more profitable, which will give us €40 million. If only the top quarter is engaged, only a quarter of the benefit will accrue to the economy. It is critical we engage with all farmers, small and large.