Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have a few questions. Most things have been touched on already so I do not want to go back over them again. A fund has been set aside to deal with whatever kind of Brexit, deal or no deal, is put in place. I welcome the ICSA and the ICMSA here today and thank them for being with us. Have they any idea as to how this fund will be distributed? The witnesses mentioned that it would be extremely expensive getting calves flown out of the country. What kind of research has been done on that and is it a possibility that that may be a route of getting our calves out of this country? The Central Bank recently stated recently that a bad Brexit could well lead to the loss of a third of small farmers. Has the Government put in place some safeguards in that regard? Have farm organisations met with the banks regarding farmers who have issues with borrowings? I hope it will not be the same situation as that of the pub sector. Many publicans had the moratorium on payments and have gone back to negotiating because their businesses are not open but they are being told to forget it and that there are no more deals on the table. If that is the case for the farmers after this it will be detrimental. What interactions have the witnesses had with the banks? What have the banks been coming back to them with for farmers who may fall into difficulties with payments?