Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the FCI representatives. For the record, any opportunity that I have had at any of these meetings, whether it was with the Department or whoever else, I agree wholeheartedly that it is not possible to farm by calendar and we need to avail of scientific technologies. Local knowledge is a big part of this too. I come from a fairly northern part of the country and the further north one goes there is at least a month of a difference in climate and growth conditions between west Cork to the top of County Donegal. Therefore, drawing a circle around a date on a map in Brussels does not work, should not work and should not even be relied on. Anyone can see from the record that I have been consistent on this issue any time that we have had any of those meetings.

I wish to refer to the statement that the Department batted the formation of the FCI contractor register back to the organisation. Before then had there been much consultation? The FCI brought its register to the Department in May. Did the Department indicate then what recognition it would give the register or what role it would view it as having? Did the Department just treat the issue like it was a can to kick down the road? Will the Department recognise the register when the association puts it together?

It has been stated in the submission that the FCI would like to see farm contractors have a greater role in the recording of the spreading of slurry and farmyard or organic manure when it comes to the record of the farmer? I think that would be a massively beneficial move. Has the Department indicated that it would facilitate the association having a role in such work if and when the Department recognises the register?

Most of my questions on NAP and TAMS have been asked so I will not repeat them. I know that the brief today concerned NAP and TAMS but I have two questions on other issues. I ask the witnesses to comment on the current labour situation and how the members of the association are managing. We have heard that every sector has a scarcity or shortage of labour and that it is getting harder to secure good and appropriately qualified labour or employees.

My next issue relates to the many meetings that we have had on forestry and, again, this issue is outside of NAP and TAMS. We get a dashboard every month so on paper there is an improvement in the number of licensing applications and the ones that are being turned around. Have the forestry members of the association seen an improvement in terms of extra demand for afforestation, felling or roads? The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Have FCI members said the licensing situation has improved a small bit or is it just on paper?