Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is disappointing that a learned Member, an experienced Member of the House, did not read the Budget Statement and subsequent press release from the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed, in which he spoke about the issues the Senator raised. The Minister highlighted the closing date for the scheme in October. It was well flagged. The Senator probably knows better than I do that the February closing date allows for the optimum weighing time of calves and ensures prompt payment to farmers, which I assume is why he raised the matter in the first place. If we did not do that, the Senator would be criticising the delay in payment.