Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I follow on from Senator Conway's theme by raising the matter of the impending storm coming towards us. I ask for the Leader's indulgence to inform and work with me on a practical issue. Applications for the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS, which is important, will close on Friday.Teagasc has informed everyone who has made appointments on Thursday and Friday in the six counties in which there is an orange storm warning that the appointments have been cancelled. It will create a problem in the agricultural community. A Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine scheme is closing for the receipt of applications on Friday and the knock-on effect is that farmers will not be able to make the required applications because appointments made three or four months in advance for Thursday and Friday have been cancelled because of the bad weather. Will the Leader ask the Minister to postpone the closing date for the receipt of applications under the scheme for one week to provide the agricultural community with a chance to breathe and get through the storm? It is a practical solution. The agricultural community has a basic right and needs to apply under the scheme. However, farmers will not have the opportunity to do so because of weather conditions. I ask the Leader to use his office to contact the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to ensure there will be an extension of at least seven days to sort out the issue. It would be a practical way of dealing with the unusual weather conditions.