Mr. Tim Cullinan:

It is very difficult to put a precise figure on it but it would obviously add to the cost of food. Food inflation is running at 16.5% currently. We had a figure of in excess of 50 cent per litre. That should be considered in the overall context of the sector having exported €16.2 billion of food last year. That does not include sales on the domestic market. It would substantially increase the price of food. Nobody wants to drive up the price of food for consumers, particularly in the current situation. The Government needs to tread very carefully when it comes to equalisation. It would create serious problems for farmers on the ground, as the Deputy is aware. Farming is a low-income business, regardless. That is why those exemptions were in place. As regards the report of the Commission on Taxation, the Government needs to look at this in a positive light. It is critical that any of the positive measures we have currently are maintained in future.