Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The corollary then is that the other 50% do. The banks are possibly extending credit to the 50% who do not have a problem with their lending criteria. The other 50% could, if they are stretched debt-wise, be ineligible for extra support from banks. This might in part be the reason farmers are experiencing difficulty getting credit from the banks. It is an issue that needs to be looked at.

I spoke to farmers in Galway this morning. A senior representative of the IFA in Galway has asked me to relay to the Minister that the fodder situation has worsened severely over the past 36 hours and that people do not have money to buy feed. While I appreciate the introduction of the transport subsidy scheme, having the cash to buy the fodder when it arrives is another issue.