Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Was the Department telling farmers not to put cows in calf last May and June on the back of the derogation? That is where this went wrong. Last January and last April and May, when I started my breeding programme, the Department had not issued any indication to me because the red map had not been published. We did not know where red and white were. Nobody could tell us where the 250 kg N/ha or the 220 kg N/ha would be. The Cathaoirleach on his farm in Tipperary put his heifers in calf in good faith. I did so on my farm in good faith. I will be in a 250 kg N/ha area; the Cathaoirleach could be in a 220 kg N/ha area. How can that be worked in the area?