Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Department is also working to resolve the issue in respect of the knackery situation, the fallen animals and the issues that have arisen. I am confident it can get a working resolution of that issue for farmers more generally.

Our whole approach is to get payments to farmers to facilitate this. That is why we have allocated the resources. We are not out to get anybody or undermine anybody. I think ACRES has been a successful initiative. The evidence of that is the number of people who have applied. I have no doubt that the Department will do everything it possibly can. The extra numbers were significant. It was originally planned for 30,000. There are now 46,000 to 50,000 involved. That, by definition, increases the pressure on the Department.

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