Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Hold on a minute. The members should let me summarise and let this flow. We have had a good exchange of information where there had been a dearth of it. This scheme was under pressure because it changed its focus from being a health scheme, in the way suckler welfare was, to an environmental scheme. It had to refocus itself to be accepted as such. There may be lessons to be learned in the way in information was disseminated to the farmers. It might have been better to have more of a front lead from the Department, Bord Bia, Teagasc and the ICBF.

The discussion groups are the key to this, as always. Knowledge transfer is what it is all about; success in the new breed of dairy farmer has been built around discussion groups. There was minimal payment in the initial stages with the dairy group, except out-of-pocket expenses, which were actually to generate profit from behind the farm gate, not outside it.

There has been some interesting discussion on the technical details of how the data can be collected. Ultimately, if we get it right, every animal can be tested. It will be much more cost efficient if one sample does both, and whether it is 60%, 40% or 100% will not matter. We will have a comprehensive, detailed pack profile on every animal and will be able to predict the trends. There are other, more lucrative sectors that engage in this all the time, namely the thoroughbred and sport horse industries. It is possible to do it and genetics and genotyping are key.

I am afraid we have to wrap it up. If I open the floor to Deputy Ó Cuív I will have to open it up to the other Deputies and Senators. I will allow them one minute each.