Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister very much for his response. He may have noted that in my question I used the word "further" because I acknowledge very much the interventions that have been made to date. Current political discourse too often ignores the interventions that have already been made and that is not positive for anybody. We must acknowledge when things have already been done.

I very much welcome the fodder, pig, tillage and horticulture interventions, which are very important. However, the Government must consider every possible assistance for farmers in those areas we can control, such as taxes of which the Government is in charge, and in areas such as energy by examining whether more can be done on green diesel engines, or even looking at areas such as motor tax to see if more can be done to help our farmers. Every possible Government charge that is applied to farmers makes it more expensive for them do business and affects their bottom line. I ask the Minister to focus on these issues in the budget and look at everything to try to bring down the cost of doing business for farmers.

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