Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour) | Oireachtas source

AIB were on the money. Before one expands, one should consider how efficient one is at that point in time. That is a very important lesson. Another issue relates to forward selling. With markets are in their current state, however, it is very hard to engage in such selling.

In my view the banks must give farmers some type of holiday to work through the situation. In the context of tax, the Government is obliged to take income averaging and various other issues with which farmers are faced into account. We need short-term solutions to address what, I hope, are short-term problems. That is the issue. Some things have been done. I agree with Deputy Deering that it is all right having what one intended to get brought forward but that leaves a very lean period at the end of the year. In farming circles generally, that period is already quite lean.

Well done to our guests for the points made in the presentation. We can certainly pursue a number of issues. Deputy Deering has made a proposal - on which I know the Chairman will follow through - that we should again invite some of the bodies, in particular the banks, to appear before the committee to see what they can do. If there are policy issues that we can pursue with the Government, we will not be found wanting. Now that people are in difficulties, we must focus on the financial institutions, even in the short term, in order that we might help them in the context of cash flows.