Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister had a go at Deputy Mattie McGrath earlier for using a script. Specifically, my question is whether the Minister will include those who are excluded. They include farmers who have lost potato crops, cereal crops and second-cut silage and those whose farm road networks have been extensively damaged. There is no rational explanation as to why the Minister is including some and excluding others. The flooding, severe as it was, did not discriminate in who it affected or the types of farmer on whom it had an impact, yet the Minister in his scheme is excluding certain farmers. For example, one farmer lost 40 acres of barley, which is entirely unusable and was wiped out. He is excluded from the scheme. Others lost potato crops, while others lost second-cut silage. Why is the Minister excluding them? Can he give us an explanation? There has been no rational explanation for the exclusion of farmers. No one should be left behind. The Minister is leaving behind farmers in dire need by not including them in the scheme.

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