Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)

It is the fault of the receiving Department, because for over 14 months it has failed to communicate advice in any way to individual applicants or their planners that there has been a difficulty, be it a decimal point or a biodiversity plan. There is a different interpretation being taken and if these people were not apprised of different interpretations of biodiversity under REPS 4, then that is a failure of communication on the part of the Minister's Department.

Given the cash flow difficulties of farmers, can the Minister not make arrangements to pay? He should go to Brussels, use the Government's muscle and make arrangements to pay the first year of the scheme. He should give an assurance that in the intervening period, the outstanding issues can be resolved with the individual farmers and their planners.

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