Mr. Francie Gorman:

First, I think it is great that both ourselves and the ICMSA are here today because it shows how united farmers are in seeing our derogation protected. It is hugely important. For us, as Mr. Drennan said, it is about slurry storage capacity. It is first of all that all farmers are entitled to apply for slurry storage capacity. At the moment, that is not the case, if you do not have the required amount. It is the planning. However, it is also the certainty for farmers because there are three pillars if you are going to invest in your farm. They are planning, the supports and how you can fund it from your own business. If you are looking four or five years down the line and see that, possibly, you could have a reduction in cow numbers, you are going to be very reluctant to invest in extra slurry storage capacity on your farm. That is why we need a certain level of certainty down the road, where farmers will have the confidence to invest their own money in their own businesses. That is not there at the minute.

With regard to regulation, the frustration that is there at farm level at the moment is palpable. It is around how farmers feel they have been regulated out of business, how their supports and income have been cut, and even down to how they are being perceived in the media. A very small, vocal minority seems to have a greater level of influence on how our business is perceived by the general public. To be fair, we are doing a really good job in what we do at farm level and we have invested-----