Tom Barry (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I have an additional question. I probably did not explain myself properly, but I was trying to get across a concept on which Professor Boyle had put his finger, namely, the value of a farmer running a business as a policy maker. Farmers might look at all of the facts, be they financial or based on analysis, and make a decision on them. Many farmers want to engage in the raw digging and data analysis, but by the time they have all of this done, they do not have time to sit down and consider their business as a whole. They are incredibly good at working out financial matters in their heads, but I do not feel the bookkeeping is being done properly. Many years ago a good friend of mine who was farming said to me that the first figure he put into the accounts was what he wanted to earn. One must pay to put the kids through college and for everything else. When I see a reference to the exclusion of farm family labour, it makes me upset because it is not reflective of the basis of a sustainable industry. The figure in question should be taken out and the raw data seen. Does it include the cost of heifer rearing?