Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)

As I already pointed out with regard to my previous amendments, the Minister of State knows that the 2,300 annuitants cannot take up the scheme. This is the difficulty.

I have no difficulty in accepting what the Minister of State said, namely, that these measures will only be implemented after consultation and in a compassionate manner. I have no difficulty that the two officials accompanying the Minister of State and other staff in the Land Commission will deal with the issue in a similar manner. I do not doubt that. The difficulty is that people change. Ministers, Ministers of State and officials within Departments change. Officials in the Department of Finance also change. That is what causes my difficulty. The major problem with this section is that no protection is put in place.

I am not making the case that these arrears should not be paid in full. This must be done. The Department has a relatively good record in many cases of sitting down with farmers and agreeing a repayment scheme but this provision now provides a legislative support for something not currently in place. At present, there is an incentive for the Department to agree a repayment scheme with farmers but it will not need it once these powers are put in place. It can literally force the hand of farmers.

The other major difficulty I have with the provisions of this section is that they will not be restricted to 2,300 farmers. The section will set a precedent within the Department of Agriculture and Food that will mean that it will not just relate to Land Commission arrears. The provisions of the section will be extended to cover other arrears. Section 4 will make a hungry Christmas for many farm families because it sets an extremely dangerous precedent. I ask the Minister of State to reconsider his position on this amendment. He should agree to remove sections 4 and 6 from the Bill so that we can proceed with its enactment.

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