Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is quite late in the year for those loans to become available. From memory, I think the scheme was launched around this time last year, in March, April or earlier. Generally speaking, as the Minister knows, farmers plan their year with regard to fertilisers or whatever they might require that would meet those criteria. It could be argued that the second half of the year is too late.