Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

The Deputies know the reason. At that time there was not the degree of agreement on it.

In this process I have listened carefully to what farmers and my advisers have said about how to protect the environment and reach a balance. I do not want to apply the regulation and finally bring this hiatus to an end in a way that damages farmers, nor would the Deputy or his party wish that either. One has to implement the directive — I have set about doing that — but one has to do it in a way that is conscious of the challenges that raises for farmers.

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