Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I wish to share time with Deputies Connaughton, Crawford, Joe Carey, Breen and Burke. Everybody spoke about how wonderful the farm waste management scheme is. It was first put in place to assist farmers to meet the nitrates directive. It is good for the environment. From a commercial point of view it is good for the building industry. I am surprised Deputy White did not mention that it is good for animal and human welfare in so far as it improves conditions for man and beast.

Much has been said about this motion being mischievous. Even taking the Minister's figures, that there has been an 80% take-up on applications, that means that at 46,132 applicants, approximately 37,000 valid applicants intend proceeding. He said he had 31,000 card A receipts. By my figures, that leaves 6,000, which is 50% of other figures, who are unsure and have not started work. The reason they have not started work is not that they did not want to or they knew they could get an extension. They have not started work because they are not able to start work. We heard the phrase force majeure used earlier. We heard this was extended until the end of December 2008 because of the weather, among other factors. The date of that extension was set long before this summer began, so the Government knew the weather would be bad from June until October and said it was sufficient.

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