Mr. Padraig Devaney:

I recall when the rural social scheme the Deputy mentioned came in, it was a great scheme. As Ms McGlynn said earlier, there is a stigma about farmer's dole but it is a great scheme when people get it. It has done a lot in my part of the country. Farmers would almost starve themselves to feed the animals and so forth. This is like a back-up. As Mr. McNamara said earlier, incomes are vulnerable and the scheme is a great back-up so that people know they will have a few pounds at the end of the week. With the payments now being once a year, years ago a payment would be made in July or early April. They are not made now. Farmers could be waiting the whole year. Sometimes payments are delayed. Farmers will invest it back in the community whenever they get it.