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

I accept that it has nothing to do with the single farm payment. We have to look at this from the Minister's point of view, but we also have to look at it from the point of view of the farmer who is trying to pay the bills. The first thing he will be hit with is the reduced single farm payment. That strengthens the case for the Minister to say to the Minister of caiteachas poiblí that these farmers are already taking a hit from Europe.

My understanding is that the amount of rural environment protection scheme, REPS, money to be paid to farmers next year, between Europe and Ireland, will be considerably less than this year or in subsequent years once the new REP scheme gets going. Again, the Minister can make a strong case to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform that farming is in a dip or interregnum period of financing from Europe, and that has to be taken into account by the Minister, Deputy Howlin, in his dealing with one Department relative to another. If we could get the figures, I would certainly be willing to make a written submission to the Minister on what I think should be done. I cannot make it now because I do not have the data, unfortunately.

We need to do something very significant for suckler cows for next year, in view of the deleveraging of suckler cows that is taking place at the moment. If necessary, other schemes should be pared back to do that.