Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

A tender will be issued to commercial banks, such as AIB and Bank of Ireland, to apply for the scheme. It will be Fianna Fáil's position that the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland should instead be licensed to provide funding directly to farmers and small businesses, in cases where they apply for separate funds.

The dearth of information continues. There is a total lack of clarity. In the Minister's first response to me he said it is hoped the scheme will be up and running in early 2017. When I pressed him on the matter, he gave a date of January, and he has now said it is his ambition that will be operational in early January. It is all very loose and does not give me any confidence that the fund will be in place for farmers at that point in time. It is very clear it is not in place for farmers now, when they actually need it.

I ask the Minister to respond specifically on the issue of tillage farmers. The Minister said he would reconsider the matter once the harvest was in because he did not want to interfere with the salvage operation and cause people to cease the salvage of crops. That time has now passed. It is clear that many farmers are in exceptional distress. They do not have the cashflow to pay merchant bills, other bills or even conacre bills because they have not harvested or stored crops or do not have tonnage to sell. Will the Minister put in place a crisis fund specifically for them?

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