Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

The Minister, in his reply, stated: "It is expected that all interventions in Mayo and Galway can end in November 2013 and cross-compliance norms will apply thereafter." Will this include the Twelve Bens-Garraun and Maamturk mountains SACs, since these are in County Galway? He also stated: "An essential component of the grazing package is that farmers must maintain sustainable stock numbers on the hill through their participation in a farm plan." My understanding is that under the farm plans there is a maximum stock number. Is there also a minimum stock number and is every farmer also required to keep the minimum stock as well as the maximum stock? Clarification is required from the Minister. Does he accept it is too late when over-grazing is discovered because it will take many years for the farmers to build up the stock because the sheep must be bred on the hill and because of the mortality levels? The hills in Connemara, in some cases, would be much poorer in terms of land quality than those in the Minister's county of Kerry and we have a less benign climate. Does the Minister accept that it is a case of ní hé lá na gaoithe lá na scolb, in other words, that it is too late when there is too much growth? The Minister might answer these three questions.

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