Nicky McFadden (Fine Gael)

I will never allow the heartache of those affected by flooding, the biggest issue I would like to discuss, to go off the agenda. I have witnessed at first hand the flooding of farms, farm dwellings, farm yards and milking parlours under two metres of water. It is psychologically stressful and detrimental to the well-being of Irish farming to see, for example, silage bales floating in flood waters. The €2 million in humanitarian aid provided is a pittance. I ask the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, to highlight this problem. He knows from his constituency that there is a great need. I compliment those who have contributed to meeting that need.

I suggest farm diesel and solid home fuels should be exempt from the carbon tax proposal which has been leaked to the media, especially in the case of farm families. Turf cutting for domestic use should be allowed to continue. I am sorry the Minister of State, Deputy Sargent, has left the Chamber because he needs to understand this deal needs to be renegotiated in order that Irish people can maintain the cultural tradition of turf cutting forever. I do not think it has ever done harm to this country's flora and fauna. I suggest those who engage in turf cutting are preserving the countryside.

It should be a condition of the imminent sale of Greencore Malt that the malting of barley will continue. I ask the Minister of State to take this on board. As we have lost our sugar beet industry, we cannot to afford to lose this one.