Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is nothing to do with getting approval from Government; I can manage my own budget. We are spending €1 million or so on the transport subsidy. We have said there is no ceiling to what we will spend on animal welfare when farmers need to be assisted in extreme cases. The Department has taken more than 500 calls on the emergency assistance help line. We have directly assisted 100 farmers by intervening to feed their animals. We will continue this policy for as long as necessary.

On the request to extend the fodder scheme beyond Friday, we have already extended it by one week. I am trying to avoid low volumes of hay and other forms of fodder coming into Ireland over a prolonged period and into the summer.

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