Mr. John Keane:

I thank the Deputy for his questions. He asked about the fear that exists in the dairy sector over the selection of cow type and size. An individual farmer's selection of cow type is his or her decision but, on the greater side of things, our members are expressing to us that the proposals on the banding are going to result in farmers choosing cows that are producing less. It may not necessarily be compatible with the dual dairy-beef system we see in many herds across the country at the moment. We have seen the use of the dairy beef index, DBI, over recent years to improve the value of the dairy bull calf. We have, in recent weeks, heard the Moorepark announcement about the development of the sexed semen laboratory, which we welcome and have called for over the course of many years. Our fear around the proposals relate to the issues around the dual purpose cow and issues that have been raised in some circles around welfare and the viability of outcomes and incomes from the beef side of the dairy herd. Those matters are of concern under these proposals. A certain type of cow is being unduly penalised.

The Deputy also asked the use of equipment on farms. Mr. Cullinan and Mr. McCormack addressed the equipment piece of the question but there is a larger piece to consider. The proposals are that the enforcement will mean more farmers will have to spread slurry through thelow emission slurry spreading, LESS, methods. The equipment required is one side of things. One also needs equipment to power the slurry tankers which are used across the country. The 135 tractor one uses for scraping the yard is not going to be able to drive a 2,500 gallon slurry tank for LESS. There are also considerable costs associated with that.

Simply saying that if we get enough grant aid support for low emissions slurry, everything will be fine and rosy is not practical and will not reflect the realities of what will happen on the ground.

Also, I and other young farmers have heard from contractors locally that there is a phenomenal amount of pressure on contractors in the weeks leading up to closed periods are opened and after they are closed. With that in mind, if you lengthen the closed period, that will create an increased amount of pressure on those individuals and on the amount of slurry that will be put out in a short space of time.

On the question in terms of the land rented, within our organisation we have a large proportion of young farmers who are farming at their home blocks, whether that be on dairy enterprises or oral livestock enterprises. Given they are in a highly competitive area for land, they have had to travel significant distances, whether that be more than 30 km or whatever, for out blocks to rear young stock, grow silage and other means of supporting their businesses. I am not sure the spreading of slurry on Ben Bulben is reflective of what is going on throughout the country. From a young farmer's point of view, in areas which are heavily stocked and which are moving forward, and where these are young farmers who are trying to progress their access to land, as I touched on-----