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

This is an issue I have raised quite a number of times in the House. I am not crying "wolf". We have such a serious problem in the north west at the moment that people's health is being affected by what is happening. Farmers are heading into eight months of feeding stock in houses and there is no prospect that these cattle will be able to get out in the very near future. The subsidised transport scheme has not worked. The price of hay has increased to €40 a bale, that of wheaten straw has gone up to €65 a bale and silage costs €40 a bale. Where supplies were in place, many dealers are not prepared to accept cheques from people who purchase silage, hay or whatever. Part of the scheme is that it has to be paid by cheque and there has to be a record. I can understand why. However, the people who had these supplies would not accept cheques; all they want is cash. They have been caught before, I am sure, by not getting payment from people purchasing hay and straw. There were only nine applications for the scheme. It has not worked.

A constituent of mine rang the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine yesterday. He was put through to a very nice girl who tried to console him. This man is at his wit's end. He is not alone but his is the most serious case about which I have heard. He is in such a state. He has no money left. He is on farm assist. He has no credit anywhere. He has cattle and he told the girl yesterday that he was thinking about shooting his cows and shooting himself. That was in the Minister's Department yesterday. The official was very good and kind to this man and told him that she will help him as soon as she can. That is a fact. There are not many people in that state but they are not far off it.

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