Mary Wallace (Meath, Fianna Fail)

As we have said on several occasions, we agree with the sentiments in regard to simplification. We have looked in detail at the 66 page document to which Deputy Penrose referred. It is important to state the only occasion in which all that paperwork would need to be used would be in a case where a farmer had all of the following on his or her farm: wild birds nesting; a habitat or two; sludge; cattle, sheep, goats and pigs; milking cows; and arable crops. He or she would also have to have an outbreak of foot and mouth; blue tongue; and swine vesicular disease. He or she would be a fairly unusual farmer before all the 66 pages would have to be completed.

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