Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the fact that the Department is doing everything possible to get these payments issued and I note that 750 payments will be issued this week, in addition to what has been issued in the past couple of weeks. With an average of 750 per week, it would take ten weeks to clear the backlog of payments. I appreciate that it is a new system but the Department needs to set a realistic timeframe and start to put the processes in place. We are looking for efficiencies within the Department budget but also effectiveness in delivering payments to farmers. I know the Minister is on the side of farmers and I thank him for his response.