Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I wish to share time with Deputy Frank Feighan.

Already, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Brendan Smith, has shown himself to be a failure. He has failed 10,000 Irish family farmers by not getting an extension on the scheme and many people doubt whether he has made any effort at European level to do so. The Minister's failure at Cabinet level is further exemplified with the abolition of the installation grant for young farmers, the farmers' retirement pension, the cow welfare scheme and the reduction of the compensatory allowance for disadvantaged areas. These are serious blows to farming communities and incomes, particularly in the west. Has the Minister any realisation of the difficulties these measures will cause in rural areas? The knock-on loss of jobs in construction and builders' suppliers in rural areas is also a serious blow. The banks are pressurising farmers for their loans and calling them in. The current shortage of cash is an additional pressure for many farmers.

The greatest need for waste management works to be carried out is in the many small farms in the west that need to be upgraded yet the Minister does not realise this. I support Deputy Creed's motion. The Minister must realise the seriousness of this issue and request an extension on the deadline from the EU. His failure in other areas will be for another day's debate.

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