Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Considering the amount of labour, time and effort involved, is trying to achieve a score of six, seven or eight a sustainable way of farming from a lifestyle perspective and, more important, an economic perspective? I understand the rationale behind what Mr. Monaghan is saying but I am considering the practicalities. If I milk eight cows and milk is at 30 cent per litre, I know the return I am going to get. There is a feedback loop in that and if there is profit, I will do what I was doing again. That is the commercial reality. Where a farmer, to score a seven or eight, has to put in a lot of effort to cut conifers, address dumping or address an act of God, such as pine needles blowing in, for example, is it sustainable from a profitability perspective?