Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will answer a couple of those questions and ask Mr. Delany to touch on state aid because we have been moving as quickly as possible on that since it became possible to do so at European level.

On the conversion rate, it is between 55% and 60% and has been closer to the latter up to now. There are about 7,000 ha already licensed to plant. We obviously do not expect all of that to be planted but someone who planted last December would have been working on the old scheme in which the rates were up to 60% less than they are now and would have been getting premiums for only 15 years rather than 20. I have no doubt that people who had a licence were waiting to see what the new scheme was. I remember talking to Senators Lombard and Paul Daly in the Seanad about this before Christmas. People who have a licence were waiting to what the rates were in the new scheme, what is possible and how attractive it is. It makes total sense.

There is no doubt confidence has been shot in the last couple of years but I have outlined today how we have come through that crisis and now have the platform in place, in terms of licensing and capacity, to deal with licences and be on the front foot and that we have the funds and programme in place to do it. It is now about driving it on, making it happen and changing that confidence piece because I do not dispute what the Deputy is saying about that. However, we now have the foundations in place to restore that confidence and change the situation.

I ask Mr. Delany to respond briefly.