Ciarán Cannon (Progressive Democrats)

My apologies for labouring the issue of the impending financial crisis hanging over the heads of many small and medium sized firms, which I also raised last week. The issue is not making the headlines, although perhaps it should. Approximately 6,000 farmers are awaiting payments for REPS 2 and 3, and the figure is increasing by about 4,000 every month. This crisis has beset farmers who legitimately joined REPS on the understanding that payments would be made on time and who entered into financial arrangements with their banks on the same understanding. If these payments are not made immediately farmers will have no option but to renegotiate their financial terms with their banks. It is extremely unfair to put them in this position. In a press release issued last October, the Minister for Agriculture and Food agreed that she and her officials would find a method for ensuring that payments for REPS 2 and 3 were punctual. I ask the Leader to immediately liaise with the Minister to ensure her commitment is honoured.