Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. Let us be clear on the first thing we are doing before we bring in measures to help farmers. First, we are crucifying them with more costs. Second, the Minister referred to agricultural contractors and farmland. Where does an agricultural contractor do the work? One cuts silage in a field. That is farmland. One ploughs in a field. One sows tillage in a field. Every part of the term "agricultural contractor" has to do with farmland. A civil contractor works on a road or on buildings. The Minister effectively stated that they are not involved in farmland and referred to the terminology to describe them. Every part of the work of an agricultural contractor, whether spreading slurry, cutting silage, baling or sowing tillage, involves agricultural land. The Minister is right about the haulage side of it. That was done a few years ago and it was welcome, but haulage is commercial. If the Minister looks up the definition of an agricultural contractor he will see it is solely to do with farmers. We are now putting an extra price on top of the cost of diesel for farmers where they do not have the double taxation relief and where there is no other choice but to pass it on. The Minister should have a look at the statistics that will come out in the next month. We can talk about helping the agricultural sector with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine down the road. Many farmers will not have a road to go down with the price they are taking for beef and sheep. Either we decide not to crucify them even more and give this allowance or we do not.