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

I thank the different organisations for coming before the committee. I have some quick questions. There was some gobbledegook that went to farmers last year about herds. Are the witnesses saying there was no consultation with the groups and it was done as a solo run by the Department, which would seem like it was done in very bad spirit?

I have seen the zero grazing process around my own part of the country and it is puzzling when TB has shown up in cattle that were not out on grass and there are gates one would imagine a snipe would not get through. Animals have gone down nonetheless. What is the conclusion of the witnesses about that?

The Minister has stated there is a basically a new agreement and the farmer organisations have bought into that. Is that a fact and have the organisations bought into the new way forward on compensation?

I have seen cases where the Department gives a choice of valuers and they come out. The Department might disagree and another valuer might have to come out. If that valuer provides a higher valuation, the Department will go to the first value and the only other option is arbitration, which is currently non-existent. Have the witnesses found many cases like this?

Many farmers, particularly those in the beef sector, have small farms and they must work elsewhere. There is no point in saying these people would live off the farm. If an animal goes down on such farmers, the income from the job would pay the mortgage and bits and pieces so they would not get a hardship grant. Has any headway been made on this? The figures are there for anybody to look at when it comes to beef farming.

Appeals are not going ahead currently. Are the witnesses concerned by this? With the best will in the world and no more than what we are at this evening, it is better to eyeball somebody than have a Zoom call where he or she cannot be tackled head-on.