I do not have responsibility for giving out replies, but I understand they cannot be circulated until the end of Question Time. If the Deputy wishes to check any aspect of this matter, I will be glad to let him have a copy of the tabular statement. There is a problem with this scheme in that it does not provide for any allocation for crop damage or damage to farming enterprises as a result of bad weather. All we can do is try to make savings in the Department and allocate a relatively small amount of money in that regard. Farming organisations should consider setting up some type of insurance operation to address this type of problem because inevitably every year there is flood damage, frost damage or damage caused by storms or something else. We have to look for savings in the Department and such savings are inadequate to meet the various applications for assistance.
The difficulty with the applications from Mayo is that those applicants did not suffer the same extent of damage to their arable crops, potatoes, horticultural crops and grass seed as that suffered by those in the grain producing areas of Wexford, Waterford and the southern part of the country and horticulture growers in north Dublin. I asked my Department officials to re-examine all the cases involved, particularly those in the Bangor Erris area, to ascertain if hardship is demonstrated and where applicants come within the general criteria of the scheme, we will see if we can help them out.
