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

As long as the animals get fed and somebody has access to funding to feed them, I will be happy about the mechanics. If this had been said to me on 28 March, a lot of the grief and much of the pressure and hardship suffered since would not have been suffered. However, is fearr go deireanach ná go brách. I welcome the clear statement made by the Minister today. I encourage people to ring the helpline, whose number is 1850 211990, because until now people did not know what they would get bearing in mind the money problem.

I will not go into the anecdotal stories; we know they are true and that there are self-harm issues, etc., to be borne in mind. I do not want to take up the time of the committee. We all recognise that there is a very serious crisis.

The Minister has answered a number of the questions I had anticipated asking. He said the price to the farmer of a large bale of hay imported from Britain, with the transport subsidy removed, is approximately €100.