Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response. There was common sense in his answer, which is unusual at times in these Houses. It is important that common sense prevails. As I said earlier, the farmers who are asking the question are doing so because they are cognisant of their roles and duties to the environment and water. They are compliant farmers. The Minister of State mentioned that local authorities can inspect. It is important that the message goes from the Department to the local authorities that where a farmer needs a decision, the process needs to be expedited. It needs to happen now. Another consequence of the weather we have had is its effect on the condition of grazing land. Farmers now have to put in their cattle. Depending on their location, they may have had grass for another fortnight, three weeks or one month, but that is all finished now because those grazing lands are saturated. The cattle have to go in and the tanks are full. If it is the case that somebody from the local authority needs to visit a farm, that needs to happen. There cannot be any bureaucracy or delay. It would help if that message would go from the Department to the local authorities. The farmers who are asking the questions are those who are compliant and are cognisant of their duties and roles, otherwise they would not ask the question.