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

A 13-month-old or 14-month-old heifer weanling is 55 kg N/ha. That is what they go down as. I ask the officials to look at that. There is an opportunity and the guys who came out to Brussels with us, namely, the Cathaoirleach and Senators Paul Daly and Lombard, think there is an opportunity under animal welfare to make a case to be able to work with the Commission on that, though I might be wrong.

The other point the Minister did not address that I would like him to was whether he would be prepared, with the likes of Teagasc or speaking to the farmers' organisations, to put a fund together to get an independent analysis of water. Anybody who puts out a tweet or puts it up anywhere to say to get out of meat or to not be eating meat has gone political, and if you are gone political then you have agendas. We need to get an independent analysis for the betterment of everyone. If two doctors tell you that you are sick, you can believe them better than if there is only one doctor. I am asking the Minister whether he would be able to put a fund together for Teagasc or an independent company or body to look at it and to work with the farming organisations, because we need to ensure the evidence we are given is concrete. Will the Minister address that point?