Mr. Dan Lynam:

We in the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association, ICSA, are concerned at the 2023 cost of fertiliser for cattle and sheep farmers. Fertiliser is not affordable at the current cost. While the cost of natural gas rocketed in August 2022, it has collapsed to a ten-year low. The cost of fertiliser has not come down to the same level. As has been said before, one could see €300 per tonne of a difference between England and Ireland a few months ago. Even in today's prices in the north west, from a small supplier to a big co-operative, €100 per tonne of a difference was seen this week. We are also concerned about the liming subsidy. It is not enough. There is €8 million of a subsidy for 25,000 applicants. This equates to just 20 tonnes per farmer, if everyone applied for the subsidy. Twenty tonnes of lime is not enough for the big companies. First, lime from the North should be allowed in. Second, a man will not come to spread 20 tonnes of lime with his whole outfit. He will not wish to do so. A farmer would want to have 50 or 60 tonnes. The subsidy needs to be looked at.