Pat O'Neill (Fine Gael)

The Minister is right in regard to the phrases "may pay" and "shall pay". If "shall pay" had been included in the legislation, then during the biggest threat to Irish agriculture in recent years, the foot and mouth outbreak, the person who brought those sheep illegally onto the Cooley peninsula would perhaps have been entitled to compensation. Under the new wording of "may pay", I doubt if this will happen. Anybody who imports animals into this country illegally where this leads to a disease outbreak in a herd should not be entitled to compensation. The Minister is right in this regard. The word "shall" cannot remain in place.