Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response. As Deputies Eamon Scanlon and Tony McLoughlin will attest to, there is grave concern over the proposals, particularly in the north west. Deputy Eamon Scanlon and I have met farming representatives on numerous occasions to hear those concerns, in addition to the very real concerns over any impact the proposals would have on the utilisation of the service.

My key question was whether a report with a final recommendation on closing three RVLs has been submitted to the Minister of State at this stage. There has been consultation with staff over recent weeks. Have they made a final recommendation regarding the approach they are urging the Minister of State and Minister to adopt? Could the Minister of State comment on and clarity that? A report in the Irish Farmers' Journallast Thursday indicated that the recommendation is to close three RVLs, which is very concerning. It was stated that this is the advice to the Minister. Can the Minister of State assure us there is understanding at ministerial, political and departmental levels of the importance of the RVL network and of protecting it?

According to the initial report, the annual running costs of a three-RVL model and the current six-RVL model are the same. Therefore, cost is not an issue, although the capital cost might be slightly higher for the six-RVL model. Crucially, however, the service available to farmers will be much different if the current model is protected and maintained. Can the Minister of State update us on whether the final recommendation has been received? If not, what is the timeframe for submitting it to the Department?

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