Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I was taken aback when coming here today and I realised that we were only in for one hour and were adjourning for the day at 3.45 p.m. We must work our way through this legislation and finalise it.

The breeding season is due to start normally around now. The onus is on me and the responsibility is on me as the Minister, on behalf of the Government, to engage with the farmers to bring this to a conclusion. I cannot stand over a situation where I am doing that with the Seanad in the middle of that negotiation where that negotiation must be represented to the very fine detail in the primary legislation, or where we need to know the anticipated plans, or to come back next week with something tangible.

The executive role for me as the Minister is to be fair, to work off the principles of the legislation that is there, and to finalise that agreement with the farmers directly on the basis of the legislation that is provided here. That is the situation we are in.

There is an urgency around bringing this to a conclusion. I will be meeting with the farmers again after the further engagement between the farmers and my officials. We do, however, need to bring the legislation to a conclusion to enable the implementation of the Government policy. As I have said very clearly, I absolutely accept the onus is on me as the Minister to ensure that there is a fair conclusion here and a fair outcome that reflects the implications and impact of what it is we are doing.