Mr. Martin Ryan:

I wish to add a comment on Deputy Cahill's query about the age of the Friesians. Obviously, meat is required 12 months of the year, so it is important that there is a range in which animals are slaughtered. While the upper end will be 30 months, we anticipate that there will be a range operating there, particularly with some heifers coming from suckler farmers at 20 months and some of the Friesians the Deputy mentioned being 27, 28 or 29 months to get them to the required level of finish.

The fodder crisis and credit were mentioned. Glanbia, being a farmer co-operative, showed its true colours during that period and gave a massive extended credit facility, an extended credit scheme, to farmers, which they will be working off over the next couple of years. We have been very fair in that regard.