Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)

It is pointless to explain to any constituent that if the farming organisations do not sign up to the partnership agreement, farmers will not know what the grant scheme will be. That is unacceptable. The Minister should not hold a gun to the farming organisations' heads to try to get the issue on partnership resolved before she signs off on this. It is critically important to farmers. The Minister, as part of the derogation negotiations will argue that farmers are implementing the nitrates directive and are putting the storage in place, but she is delaying that happening by not implementing whatever review has taken place. Surely that review is completed. It is time to start implementing it and indicating to farmers the grant that will be available to them.

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