Noel Coonan (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 6:

In page 4, subsection (3), line 17, after "discharged," to insert "such date being not later than 31 January 2006".

In her Second Stage speech the Minister clearly indicated that she wanted to move this legislation within six months. It will probably take two or three months to go through the Houses and she is allowing only a six-month timeframe thereafter within which people must comply. Six months is not sufficient. Next year we will be using a new payment system for farmers, the single farm payment, which will not be due until the end of next year. There should not be any onus on farmers to pay until those payments arise because in the interim there are no facilities for farmers to get payments due to them from the Department.

I accept the Minister's point regarding people who make an effort but the officials may not accept that and there will be a difficulty later on. There should be a definite timeframe for farmers to pay the arrears so that they can benefit from this offer.