Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

When it was extended until the end of this year the weather conditions were not anticipated. Even if only 6,000 have not started work, none of them is in this position because they want to be on the last minute. We have heard of people whose planning permission's are subject to appeals at Bord Pleanála. We have heard all the reasons specialised construction contractors cannot be got. They are not there because they knew they would get an extension.

May I make a specific point on Wicklow? In February I asked if the Minister could state that the charter of rights commitments had been honoured regarding the approval work completed and payments grants in Wicklow. She replied as follows:

My Department makes every effort to meet such deadlines. However, I accept that, in the case of applications under the farm waste and farm improvement schemes, these deadlines in some instances have not been met in . . . Wicklow due to particular circumstances arising from the office because of staff shortages . . . 874 applications received under the farm waste management scheme and the 262 applications under the farm improvement scheme. To address this difficulty, a number of officers have been redeployed to the Wicklow area in recent weeks to alleviate the pressure which has been encountered . . . The situation in Wicklow, of course, continues to be monitored on an ongoing basis.

This is not force majeure but the Department's problem. There is another reason people have not been able to continue.

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