Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for that. I hope he might reconsider the interest as well because they have to pay that interest themselves. It is through no fault of their own. They are very reasonable and they can understand what the Minister is saying with regard to the amount of applications that there were last year. However, that does not pay the interest, so I wanted to mention that.

I also wanted to mention the fact that there are 21 farmers in Cratloe who have been affected by the presence of bark beetle. Could the Minister advise whether these farmers will be compensated for any inconveniences as a result of biosecurity failings? It is also worth noting that this particular biosecurity breach was just 10 km east of the Shannon Airport free zone, 20 km east of Foynes Port and 10 km west of Limerick Port, according to a memo from the Minister's Department. I would appreciate it if the Minister could speak to any potential measures he intends to implement so as to tighten up biosecurity and import controls going forward. The memo rightly identifies the beetle as being Mexican in origin, yet we have no direct wood trade with Mexico. We do, however, have significant trade with the United Kingdom and Scotland, where the bark beetle is within miles of western Scotland's pest-free area. I know in the memo that the Minister said that checks-----