Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)

Like everybody else, the farming community suffered in last Tuesday's budget and took a huge hit. I was amazed to hear Deputy Treacy state that Fianna Fáil is the farmers' friend. Where was he last Tuesday when the budget was announced and the early retirement scheme and the installation aid for young farmers were axed, the suckler cow scheme was reduced and other stealth taxes were introduced including removing medical cards from elderly farmers?

Deputy Creed's motion is timely. Are our farmers expected to take a further hit? I am sorry the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Brendan Smith, is no longer in the Chamber. When he served his time in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food as a Minister of State he visited the World Ploughing Championships in County Carlow and urged all farmers to sign up to this scheme. It is ironic that now that he has the top job he refuses to budge and extend the date with the result that many of the people he encouraged to join will be excluded.

Some of the Fianna Fáil backbenchers have issued press releases in recent times reminding farmers about the deadline and even calling for the scheme to be extended. It is a typical Fianna Fáil tactic to act like it is in opposition and blame Europe. Farmers do not need to be reminded about the deadline. They are well aware of the D-Day. What they want is an announcement that the date will be extended. I urge Fianna Fáil backbenchers, particularly those who spoke today, to think seriously about what they say.

I see in this morning's newspapers that the backbenchers are unhappy with the situation regarding medical cards for the over 70s. It is time for the backbenchers in Fianna Fáil to stand up and be counted. Will they continue with their age-old Fianna Fáil double-speak, saying one thing in the constituency and the opposite when they come to the Dáil in Dublin?

The current scheme has been a major success and has made a significant contribution in terms of improving the environment. I am amazed that the Ministers from the Green Party have not been in the House to show a greater interest in this debate, considering the concerns they have for the environment. The environment is their hobby horse. These days, they are only concerned with pushing bicycles and changing light bulbs.

The scheme has been a major boost to the construction sector and it can make an even more significant contribution to this industry now that it is in crisis. At the height of the boom it was impossible for farmers to get work done. To compound this, the bad weather placed further strain on farmers trying to get this work done. As my colleague, Deputy Carey, stated, none of us need to be reminded about the extraordinary weather we had, particularly in August when villages and towns throughout the country were flooded.

I have been inundated with requests from farmers about problems with regard to planning applications. They were concerned they would not meet the deadline and are under enormous pressure. The reality is that this is about funding. The Government failed to have meaningful discussions with the EU Commission on behalf of Irish farmers. It is time it came clean with the electorate and the Opposition parties. The Minister is trying to save Exchequer funds and deny farmers their entitlements.

Earlier this year the Department huffed and puffed on whether to support Irish farmers at the WTO talks. Eventually it was embarrassed into supporting them in an effort to secure a "Yes" vote for the Lisbon treaty. Many farmers fear that they will not be paid because the allocation for the scheme has already been spent this year. I urge the Government, including the Green Party to ease the pressure on the farming community and make an extreme hardship case to the European Commission. Europe needs us. Europe has a heart. The Government should not blame it for this. Otherwise, the farmers of County Clare and elsewhere will pay a huge price for Government inaction in not protecting the agriculture industry here.

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