Mr. Colm Forde:

It is important to contextualise the overall spend of the programme. Deputies Carthy and Ring have referred to the fact we are spending a large amount. Last year, we had 440 animals taken off farms every week. We spent more than €2 million per week and 90 herds per week were restricted. Those numbers are a deep regret but we have a significant responsibility on behalf of farmers, taxpayers and everyone who funds the programme to spend the money as prudently as possible to help drive down TB rates. Those sort of recommendations have been made for decades and were a fundamental part of the Committee of Public Accounts report in 1994.

On eligibility for the hardship grant, the policy rationale for that grant is to support farmers who do not have much means to help them maintain cattle over winter months that they otherwise did not plan on maintaining. That is why off-farm income is taken into account. I just wanted to explain the policy rationale behind the eligibility for the hardship grant. I think those were the questions on the financial side in that group.