Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Much has been said about the difficulties being faced by farmers now. In Sligo, Leitrim, north Roscommon and south Donegal, it is no different from the rest of the country as described by the others who have spoken. We have farmers who have had cattle in since the end of August and early September, as was said earlier. The cut of silage at the beginning of the year was quite good but what was got after that is absolutely useless.

I suggest that some response should come about. Funding should be put in place for this as if that does not come about, not alone will there be an animal welfare problem, there will be a human health problem because people are out of their minds now wondering how they will get through the winter and feed their stock. There are two climates in this country. I listened to one of my colleagues in this House speaking on 29 January this year about dairy farmers wondering if they could let out the cows at that time. They had plenty of grass but the concern was that rain would come. In our area, we are lucky to get cows out on 1 May and they are back in again in September.

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