Mr. Hugh Farrell:

Deputy Browne spoke about more money being spent and nothing coming from it. We have touched on it here at different times. The eye was taken off the ball. Wildlife is coming across very strong on that one. That includes a shortage of staff. The recruitment programme in the Department is such that somebody must leave a job before consideration can be given to someone else to replace them possibly two months down the road. That is no good. There should be prior approval because many of them know who is going. It is not being given serious effort. Much of the time where the implementation programme wanted to move policy along on different issues, the finance committee dragged its heels. We are in that state at the moment over different issues where we could be moving on with other things instead of delaying the process. This is where there is an issue.

In response to Deputy Ring, the vested interests in this are not the farmers. As everyone else has stated, they keep it going. This is interesting to say in the industry: many people are gaining financially out of it. This is where the big problem is because every effort has been made inside the farm gate nationally. Every farmer is doing their best do deal with every risk matter. We have identified many risks, from wildlife to the removal of reactors to inconclusives lying on farms. It is a to-do list for the officials in the Department. They are looking at what we have to do. They should start looking at where they have failed and take that out. The group that is leading us at present is making an effort and is willing to do so. I honestly believe it will do so and with our help will hopefully achieve. It will take commitment from more than just the few leading it. Other people in higher positions need to back them. The Minister needs to be there with them and make fast decisions. This thing is hanging around there over the pre- and post-test periods. That has gone on for eight or nine months at this stage. There should be a decision within a month or six weeks. This is all delaying the process. We need to make use of our time.

We were asked earlier about the forum. The forum was continually pushing back and we were not making progress. Thank God, it has moved out of this and we have gone into subgroups. Another speaker mentioned Coillte representatives coming around the table and being involved. They have been at the table for a number of years. They were actually delaying the process because there were only a handful of us. We had fewer people than we have here this evening and there were maybe 25 other different groups. We had very little voice in that. Many of them had no vested interest in it and had no risk of loss but they had control over it. This where we need to get practical and move on. We need to take it from a farmer's point of view straight with the Department. Work is in progress. I honestly believe we will make progress now.