Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

The Minister said there was some confusion but that the position remains the same as was stated in the budget. The Minister applied to the European Commission for its agreement to do what he proposed on budget day, particularly in respect of the retrospective basis on which he is increasing the stocking rate. Everywhere one receives very detailed cases for force majeure, based on hardship, illness, death and so forth, and there would be difficulties with that. We have been in contact with the Department to seek an appeal mechanism. This must be clarified. We understand what the Minister said in December and that there is a difficulty with getting approval from the EU Commission. It has a huge difficulty with the retrospective basis on which the Minister applied the increase in the livestock units and, indeed, in respect of the 80 km, about which I am not particularly concerned. However, with regard to the increase in the livestock unit to 0.3 and its retrospective basis, the information from the farming media and other people is that the European Commission has flatly refused to give its permission.

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