Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

The Minister makes a comparison with my neighbouring county and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle's county, Kilkenny. We will be working other matters out on the field of play at the weekend. I hope it will be a good game, and may the best team win.

On a serious note, I accept those figures, but inside them, and to get to those averages, there are massive, phenomenal payments for big conglomerates and stronger farms. I am talking about balance, not only in my county, but also through the west and to ordinary farmers. It is vital that we keep these farmers on young family farms because the conglomerates are gobbling up those farms. Every family farm has a family and they support schools, hurling teams and the teams of the future. They are vital. The supports should be skewed in favour of the smaller farmers and the mixed farmers, and those in food production especially. This has to be recalibrated because the figures are eye-watering.

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