The importance of early payments and direct income supports is clearly evident from the fact that they amount to in excess of €1.3 billion annually. As the Minister said, they account for 53% of farm income. In reply to Senator Coonan, in 2001 Tipperary received in excess of £90 million from EU aid payments. That the Minister and his Department ensured that €650 million of these payments were made within a week of the start of the EU financial year on 16 October is something farmers greatly appreciate.