Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Minister's response and his outline of how the system works. I plead with him to consider a more immediate review. I will not rehash the figures I mentioned other than to say they are genuine. There is a big gulf in funding at the moment, particularly on the concrete, steel and building side, more so than in terms of equipment. A number of farmers with live applications are only now beginning to realise the difference. They were using the Department's reference costs to calculate their potential outlay. It was only when they received price quotations from contractors that they realised the massive gulf in funding. It is putting some of these necessary jobs in jeopardy as farmers have second thoughts as to whether to complete them. I plead with the Minister to initiate an urgent and up-to-date review and to try to bridge the gap between the estimated costs and the actual costs for farmers. There has been an 80% increase in the cost of concrete, which is the major component of any development, since the previous review of building costs by the Department.