Mr. Hugh Farrell:

The Senator was talking about the safety net, which is being used at present even without the appeals board, given that if the farmer does not give us a print-out or a letter, which we know they are not always capable of doing on an inspection, that allows for another interpretation or whatever else. We might not know what we are getting until weeks, months or years later. The appeals board is great and will bring this to a place of resolution, but getting that far is a long journey and involves a lot of different people.

Moreover, when an appeal is put in place, whatever penalty it is carrying should be stopped there and then until such time as there is an outcome. There is no point in a farmer being penalised, whether it be a fine or anything else, and all of a sudden we end up fighting them for two or three years thereafter. Automatically, once the appeal is in place, the penalty should stop with it, and that is something I would like to see brought into it.

Deputy Mythen raised issues relating to equality, respect and so on. This has to go both ways, and going both ways is a big thing here. We have difficulty with this at different stages. Farmers are dealing with a lot of different issues and that is something that has to be corrected or brought to a more appropriate level.

We are all doing our own jobs but we have to respect each other as we do so. On force majeure, in a meeting on the farmers' charter some months ago, we were looking at including force majeureprovisions on all schemes and in all cases. Force majeureis only included where it is suits the Department but it should stand in everything. We need to ensure that is carried through because, in many cases, there is a genuine reason to argue force majeure. Mr. Punch may want to continue on or finish up.