Mr. Gerry Gunning:

I presume the local authorities have their reasons, but their representatives are not present to answer the question, which is appropriate to them. In our experience, there is bureaucracy. Let us be honest - in society at large there is a fear and a view that someone should not go near anything that will be bureaucratic because they will be pushed back.

We believe extending the period would ensure clarity on any other issue that might arise. For example, someone would not be going in in May. They would do it now and be given an extra month. As Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice mentioned, May is a drier month. As we pointed out in our submission, the days are brighter and longer. Someone mentioned how cutting in the depths of winter was not good for farmers or in terms of road safety. It is not even safe when farmers work on their own farms in darkness.