Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I would like to be associated with the expressions of sympathy to the Kiely family on the death of Rory. Rory was someone whom I got to know in recent years, through horse racing more than our political involvement. He was a proud member of the Oireachtas syndicate, the horse of which won the midlands grand national at my track of Kilbeggan last year. It was on that evening that we struck up a relationship. I was only speaking to him on Thursday last in Mayo when he said he was coming up here this week, and I was shocked this morning to hear of his death. I offer my deepest sympathy to his extended family.

I want to raise the issue of the changes to the farm-to-farm cattle movement certificates. The Leader can put it on his list for the next time we have statements on agriculture. Currently, when a farmer registers calves he knows will be sold within a fortnight, he can apply for a certificate of compliance to move and can then sell to the open market.He could maybe have two or three different suppliers and then not know which calf will end up with what customer. Now the Department has changed the regulations so that when he applies for that certificate of compliance he has to put the herd number of the herd of destination on the application for the certificate of compliance. It is impossible for him to know in certain situations in whose herd the animal will end up. We hear all the time about CAP reform and simplification. Every change we make and propose is supposed to be simplifying the burden of paperwork, red tape and bureaucracy for farmers, yet at the same time every change we make seems to make it more complicated, involves more paperwork, makes it more strenuous on farmers and complicates their day to day living and activities. I would like the Leader to put that on the list for discussion the next time the Minister is in for statements, to ask why there is the necessity for that change. I know we need compliance and traceability for animal health and welfare issues but this makes no sense. It seems like a change because somebody somewhere has seen some small issue and changed the whole system, which will affect everybody across the board and will complicate the issue, slow it down and tie the farmers' hands that little bit tighter behind their backs.