Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I share his good wishes for Mr. Dillon. After a very long career, I wish him the very best for a long, happy and healthy retirement.

Perhaps the Minister could confirm in his supplementary response the amount of money that is left in the BAR fund. Does he intend to spend anything further on agriculture for farmers? I met representatives of the Irish Grain Growers yesterday, as did the Minister. He will know they are looking for a package of approximately €2 million for unharvested crops. As tillage farmers, they have seen a once-in-a-generation wipeout at a time when we need to be promoting tillage and when we have targets to meet for growing tillage. Their request is for €2 million from what I understand is a €150 million fund. Is there any way that money can be spent? I know and understand there is a Brexit element to this, which is obvious. However, Bord Bia got €1.5 million to promote organics. I am not sure what the Brexit link is in that regard. The same applies to sheep farmers, which is an issue I have raised many times. I have asked the farm organisations to come to the Minister with proposals on behalf of sheep farmers. With the deal done between New Zealand and the UK, and with the level of the exchange rate, those sheep farmers have been impacted. I ask the Minister to consider both of those sectors in the context of this fund.

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