Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

What is attributable to a spokesperson is not necessarily what is printed. Under the package put forward there will be a single farm payment, which will be made available to the farmers. There will be a special fund of €44 million for farmers for diversification. At least 10% of the €145 million will be available to the contractors and farmers. There is nothing specific about workers.

Greencore has a legal entitlement. The determination of that entitlement cannot be decided until the legal text has been passed and other methodologies put in place.

The Deputy himself answered the question on who owns the quota, because it is a system. The European Union is quenching quota, not buying it back, and those sugar companies which wish to remain in production will pay a levy to do so.

A proposal has been put to me by the IFA concerning losses attributable to the changes that have taken place. It has set its stall out on what it considers the losses to be and the purchase of quota will be taken into consideration in determining that figure.

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