Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his explanation. There is one thing I need to get clarification on. When he says he is committed to covering the cost of importing the hay, which is €50 out of transport costs of €75 in the case of the big bales, how will that happen? He has explained about credit and getting meal. A man contacted me yesterday. Prior to hearing that his costs might be covered for transport, he and a neighbouring farmer spent €1,200 on importing hay. This person is wondering how he will be able to avail of this subsidy.

Deputy Naughten raised the crisis they have every year on the Shannon callows. At what stage will the Government put the NPWS back in its fundamentalist environmentalist box and tell it that sometimes there are bigger priorities than snails, flies and butterflies? There are people who are at the end of their tether not during this crisis but in the last year and years before that who seem to come last below all species that live in the area.

My final point concerns the feeding of horses, donkeys and ponies. Where I come from, I received a call four or five weeks ago from concerned people about the fact that a horse was found dead in a field with an emaciated horse beside it and another horse was thrown in the woods about 300 m away. A significant number of people contacted me about it because it was the side of the main Dublin road. I do not keep horses and do not know enough about it but the consistent message given to me was that there needs to be some sort of systematic cull or some system put in place whereby many of these animals can be put out of their misery. I know it is not ideal but I do not think it fair that they are hanging around in an emaciated state in fields because people who bought them with their best interests at heart do not have the money to take care of them. What can be done in this area because it is a massive problem?