Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

When farmers' payments are held up why not allow so much of the payments to be paid? They hold up some farmers' payments for a whole year or maybe more, and those farmers cannot put bread on the table when this is going on. They are entitled to receive some of the payment but not to it all. However, the whole lot is held up and this needs to be addressed.

Under the fair deal scheme the farm is taken into account when the old person has to go into a nursing home. The person must pay 7.5% of the cost of the farm and this is a serious issue. As far as I can see it has not been addressed in the budget. We need to address this issue and work together on it.

With regard to diesel there was a lot of talk that the VAT and excise duty would be increased in the budget. They were not increased in the budget and they were not mentioned. At the same time, the price has increased at every pump throughout the country and there is no excuse for this because the barrel of oil is still very cheap.

Why is that happening? When there is any small increase it goes up at the pumps the following day.