John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

The Minister for Finance might call that being numerically challenged.

A number of issues have not been mentioned by previous speakers in regard to the budget and the Finance Bill. The Minister of State would be familiar with the reduction in the budget allocation for Teagasc, which has led to the closure of a number of facilities. I am sure that he is well aware of the difficulties that have arisen in his constituency in regard to the €15 million cut in the Teagasc budget. The agricultural industry is in a state of despair at present. I have never encountered a lower level of morale among farmers or a more gloomy outlook.

A Teagasc centre in my area of south Kilkenny is due to close and move to Kildalton College. It employs six advisers and deals with more than 1,000 farm families. It does not appear to be a huge saving for Teagasc because staff will not lose their jobs as all advisers and ancillary workers will be moved to Piltown. A new building must be refitted to accommodate them, yet the facility ten miles away in Mullinavat is being closed. This does not make sense. However, many decisions do not make sense such as the one to keep open a facility in the constituency of the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Joe Walsh, which is considerably smaller.

No one mentioned the issue of rollover relief.