Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am considering that and monitoring it closely. I want as much follow through as possible in respect of farmers purchasing lime and spreading it. I am closely monitoring it daily and getting feedback from farmers. I have to balance the need to ensure farmers get paid and the need to utilise the budget this year for it. Many farmers spread lime earlier this year too. It has been much more challenging to do so in recent months. Those who spread it earlier in the year have uploaded their receipts. That is good to see. We want to make sure the biggest number possible of those who applied follow through and spread that lime by the end of March, however. I am monitoring it closely and will be doing the best I can to get as many in as possible. We set the scheme up to try to incentivise this behaviour and back farmers to do it. We want to get people back to doing it so that everybody will see the benefit of it again. I want as much of that as possible come to fruition. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter.

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