Mr. Michael Curran:

I thank the Deputy for his comments. Regarding the closing down, we have been in contact with the Department. It is using the word "prohibition" for closing us down. Welfare is a very important thing for us. We get welfare checks at least six times a year by veterinarians and we are also have three inspections by the Department. Five of those farm inspections are unannounced. Welfare is a big thing for us.

The Deputy asked about compensation for the workers. We have discussed this and both Ms Heffernan and I are a little hesitant to say what we want. I am getting a bit tongue-tied. We want more for our workers. They have been here a long time. I have been working with some of the guys who work with me for the past 20 years and I have been working on this farm for the past 31 years. We need more for the workers, like a lump sum, because they will find it very difficult to get work for age-related reasons. Even I would find it difficult to get full-time employment in the area I come from in south-west Kerry. We will find it incredibly difficult. As a company we are willing to compensate the guys who work for us but it is the Government that is closing us down. Why is the emphasis on the company to compensate the workers when the Government and the Department want to close us down?

Then there is the issue of five years versus ten. Many people do not understand our industry. If we were a normal industry we would probably have gone bankrupt long ago because we have a cycle. There could be seven good years and seven bad years, or five good years or five bad years. There is always a cycle in fur farming. When we have good year we have to put the money away to support ourselves through the bad years and when the bad years come we know the good years will come back again. That is the cycle we work in and that is what the Department and many people do not understand about our industry. There are very few people who actually understand our industry.