Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for that response. I welcome that the proposed legislation is on the priority list. At this point, however, when people such as farmers and small businesses are in more financially precarious situations than they were in 2017, there is a need to provide a date. We need a solid date provided at this point. We have waited for far too long. Farming families are under tremendous pressure, between Brexit and everything else that has impacted upon them. They are struggling to pay bills for loved ones in nursing homes. We need to make sure they are provided with a date at this stage. My Rural Independent Group colleagues and I have been bringing this up for too long. We hear that it will happen by autumn recess or summer recess or before Christmas. The people out there are hearing the same thing. It is not good enough. A date must be provided.

People are under huge financial pressure. I know that farming families are also under pressure with new regulations that are coming in with regard to the prescribing of animal medicines. I call on the Government to rectify this and make sure that it listens to the agri-merchants, and that farming families are not expected to carry that burden as well as the current burden they carry due to the delay to reforms on the fair deal scheme.

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