Mr. Aidan O'Driscoll:

It involved a minority of member states. In fairness, the old Commissioner could have done more.

The new Commissioner put in place a system under which the superlevy could be paid in three instalments. Ireland is one of the countries that made that proposal. As committee members will know, the superlevy bill will be in the region of €69 million, of which milk producers will have to pay one third, or approximately €23 million, up front, with the remaining €46 million to be paid in the following two years. The Deputy is correct in that the State will have to pay a bill upfront. I am sure the Comptroller and Auditor General is making calculations in his head, but in effect the Exchequer will have to carry the borrowing cost of €46 million.