Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Amendment No. 85 seeks a report from the Minister on a potential rebate scheme for agricultural contractors. I support the points made by Deputy Fitzmaurice. We have a diesel rebate scheme for hauliers and we will discuss its terms shortly. The amendment asks that the Minister gives consideration to also providing a rebate scheme for agricultural contractors given the central role they play in providing services to farmers, which are most efficiently done at the level of the contractor.

In terms of the volume usage of marked gas oil in the agricultural sector, the majority of such oil is consumed by the work done by contractors. Therefore, there is a case to be made for them and I look forward to hearing what the Minister has to say.