Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to debate the following urgent matter: the serious income situation at farm family level and in respect of other self-employed people; the fact that social welfare inspectors are not taking into account the massive drop in income for beef and dairy farmers, due to, for instance, the fall of more than one third in milk prices or the fact that many self-employed builders no longer have work; that in both sectors, despite the denial by the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, personnel on the ground still insist on using previous years' records with the result that, for instance, a number of young farmers with wives and children to support who have applied for farm assist have been granted nominal figures, such as €6.50 per week in one case, or in some cases nothing at all, even though they can prove beyond doubt that at present they have neither income nor resources.

See this speech in context