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

TAMS was mentioned. My understanding is that if a farmer does not have enough capacity and is over the stocking limit, he or she will not get a grant. Is that not counterproductive? Should we not try to bring farmers within the requirements?

I have seen Mr. Callanan in Leinster House many a time. What is his vision for what will happen? Does he agree that we cannot just bring it down to 170 kg, 220 kg or 230 kg tomorrow, next week or next month? What is the Department's opinion on derogations? Are they becoming harder to get? Will they be gone further down the line? A farmer cannot just get rid of ten or 20 cows when different rules come in just because he or she does not have the extra land that is required. There is not much extra land being made around the country at the moment. We cannot just drop a bomb on top of someone. We would nearly need a just transition. Unfortunately, the first just transition did not work too well. If we are going down this road, will the Department be straight with farmers about what is coming over the next two or five years? Farmers deserve that. Many of them have invested in making their farms better with better machinery and gear for milking or whatever they are doing.

A great deal of information is being thrown about. Is there truth in the story about the discussions on nitrates or that a body is meeting? According to the headlines in the Irish Farmers' Journal, X amount will be given to people to reduce. What is the story?