Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 36:

In page 29, subsection (1), line 22, to delete "one or more persons as valuers" and substitute "a panel of valuers".

This amendment relates to the section dealing with valuations and seeks to establish a panel of valuers. Farmers would thus be allowed to select from a panel of valuers, instead of the wording currently in section 32(1) which states that the Minister may appoint for the purpose of carrying out evaluations of farm animals, animal products, animal feed or other things relating to farm animals "one or more persons as valuers, if the Minister is satisfied that the person appointed...". Ultimately, what will be required is a panel from which people can select. The panel would be independent and acceptable to the Department and individual farmers could then select from it. Geography will dictate matters also because people will not travel from Cork to Donegal for a valuer or vice versa.

The amendment seeks to open things up a little. The fear is that if farmers are given a list of only two or three valuers, why not give them the entire list if the Department is happy with them? I am not sure how many valuers have been approved by the Department. Would I be right in guessing it is around 50 or 60?