Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 15 December 2021

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Animal Health and Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Committee Stage

Photo of Michael CollinsMichael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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I move amendment No. 2:

In page 6, after line 41, to insert the following:
“(v) all other reasonable, necessary and consequential costs and losses so that the totality of the compensation is reasonable and fair,”.

I thank the Chairman for giving me the opportunity to speak. I do not know if the Minister is going to accept any of the amendments I have tabled. That is entirely up to him and the Department. In winding down their businesses, the people involved will incur many expenses. There will be professional costs that need to be accounted for. I refer, for example, to the necessary legal costs incurred by farmers. I do not think these have been accounted for. The Minister stated that he wants to treat these people with respect. As I said earlier, they feel they are being treated unfairly. The discussions between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the farmers about their concerns have not been progressing. Nobody can say they are treated with respect unless the discussions are progressing. They are putting suggestions to the Minister and not getting any replies. That is what the Minister sees as progress and treating them with respect. I ask the Minister to reconsider his position and to support this amendment.