By agreement with Standing Orders, Members shall be called in Private Members' time this evening as follows: 7 p.m. to 7.5 p.m. a Fianna Fáil speaker; 7.5 p.m. to 7.10 p.m. a Fianna Fáil speaker; 7.10 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. a Government speaker; 7.30 p.m. to 7.40 p.m. a Government speaker; 7.40 p.m. to 7.50 p.m. a Fianna Fáil speaker; 7.50 p.m. to 8 p.m. a Fianna Fáil speaker; 8 p.m. to 8.10 p.m. a Fianna Fáil speaker; 8.10 p.m. to 8.15 p.m. a Government speaker; 8.15 p.m. to 8.20 p.m. a Fianna Fáil speaker; 8.20 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. a Fianna Fáil speaker.
Private Members' Business. - Agriculture Emergency Measures: Motion (Resumed)
The following motion was moved by Deputy Noonan (Limerick West) on 10 June 1986:
That Dáil Éireann recognises the present disastrous state of Irish agriculture and calls on the Government to intervene immediately and effectively with a comprehensive package of emergency measures which will alleviate the difficulties of thousands of farmers who are facing bankruptcy because of the reduction in milk prices and output, the loss of livestock and the failure of crops.
Debate resumed on the following amendment:
To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following:
"Dáil Éireann recognises that the unfavourable weather experienced over the past year has caused difficulties for many Irish farmers, particularly in certain areas, and endorses the various measures adopted by the Government to assist those farmers in coping with the situation."
—(Minister for Agriculture.)
Are those arrangements agreed to? Agreed.
There are very few Government speakers. I am not surprised.
Not quantity, but quality.
Unfortunately, due to the restriction on time I shall not have the time so necessary to go into some detail about the serious difficulties confronting our agriculture industry at present. On the basis of what was said in this debate last night one will readily recognise that both sides of the House see agriculture facing what must surely be the most serious crisis ever in the history of that industry. Agriculture has always been the backbone of our economy and it is no different today. The agricultural output and its importance to the balance of trade and the revenue earning capacity of its exports have kept us afloat for very many years. We have come to a stage, regrettably, where the industry threatens to go under. Its capacity to provide the financial wherewithal and the economic output to generate jobs in processing and manufacturing must be grieviously undermined.
In recent times media speculation on the serious fodder difficulties afflicting small farmers in the west and the midlands has not been sufficiently emphasised. The difficulties last summer with the saving of fodder had very serious repercussions on stock last winter and the spring of this year. That has culminated in huge numbers of stock dying at the back of the ditches or in housing facilities. For the farmers involved, this is a loss from which they will never recover. In addition, we have had very bad spring weather continued into summer, which has meant that the capacity to save fodder is very inhibited. It has been recognised that for too long many small farmers have depended solely on hay as a source of winter fodder and, given the weather conditions to which we are subject here, that obviously is not the best option. If we examine the structural difficulties which apply in many of these farms, we find that because of insufficient cash flow and because of the geography of the farms it is simply not possible for the farmers to move into silage making as the main source of winter fodder. Nonetheless, there is a possibility there for many owners of smaller holdings to change over to silage if they had the money to do so.
As my colleague has said, five minutes is not very much time——
Do not waste it.
——to discuss this very serious issue. We would not be having this debate this evening if we had a Government with guts that would have made an effort in the last three years to get what they could for Ireland in Brussels. Instead, they have damaged our image over there accepting what was thrown to them. That was evidenced from the package accepted by the Minister for Agriculture some weeks ago. The Germans objected to that package and they have been given a bonus in recent days, but there was a complete sell-out by our Minister for Agriculture. I do not know if there was some wheeling and dealing done behind the scenes. As a result of his acceptance of the package many thousands of farmers and their families will feel the pinch even more than in the last three years. The President of the IFA has done more for farming than the Minister and the whole Department put together. Were it not for him, the Minister would have been asleep for the last 12 months. He had to be kicked into action.
That is a real joke, anyhow.
It is not a real joke.
We do not have interruptions.
The Government's joking days are over.
The Opposition joked last night, too.
We saw the way the super-levy negotiations were bungled two and a half years ago and the effects of that is being felt by farmers and their families to the present day, with unemployment and lack of a proper quota.
Are we responsible for the weather?
The Minister told us he had got a great deal for us. He had to return six months later to try to fix the matter up. We are the laughing stock of Europe. Our image is damaged in Brussels. Any schemes made available to us and fought for by Fianna Fáil Governments were dumped by the present administration — the lime subsidy, the A I subsidy, the farm grants. This is the Government that now tell us they are worried about the farmers. They have not shown that in the last three years. There is a danger of the beef intervention system being thrown to the wind at the fall of the year. How could anybody have any confidence in the Government with the way they have handled the whole situation?
There is also a sell-out as regards grain. Grain growing in this country in another year will be something that we will dream about, despite all the investment put into it by farmers, both in machinery and drying plants. We will be importing thousands of tonnes of second grade grain. More job losses will occur along the way. The Minister accepted the whole package as if he had not a tongue in his head. He should have walked out and rejected it, as the Germans did. He would then have got something.
(Interruptions.)
There was an 8 per cent drop in the price of cereals. It will be a bad day for the country if all those in the grain industry are put out of business, and it looks as if there is no other option. The Minister is not worried about them. He says he is going around the country looking at the problems, but he is passing by very speedily in his State car and not speaking to the people concerned. That is what he did when carving out the disadvantaged areas. On occasions he and his officials got lost in the fog on the hills. He was very careful, however, to stay on the Waterford side and did not come to Tipperary or to Cork. It is a great asset to have a State car, because one can get all the perks, as outlined by my colleague last night.
The high interest rate charged for long term borrowing is a scandal. The banks and lending institutions have ripped off the farmers. They are trying to sell them out behind the scene, nice and quietly, and the Government are sitting back and saying nothing. There is a lot of waffle about cheap money being available; but, when one examines the small print, very few people will qualify for that. The same applies to the farm grants. It is a fraud. The farmers have been codded for three years. A lot of western waffle is all that we have got from Minister Connaughton. He is the greatest waffler who ever came into this House.
The sky will soon fall.
He shot down the farmers and took the grants off them. He then has the cheek to say that he represents them. All he has done for the country is sell out the farmers. Until the Government get out, the situation of the farmers will not improve.
(Interruptions.)
How could the advisory centres come to the assistance of the farmers today when the ACOT budget is cut by £1 million and they have to scale down their offices?
The Deputy's time is up.
And the Government's time is up, too.
What a joke.
Order, Deputy O'Brien. If you are not going to allow the debate to continue you will please leave the House.
He is the western waffler now.
Would the Minister of State speak commonsense now?
I am well known for that, as the Deputy is well aware.
I am sorry, a Cheann Comhairle.
First, it is important that on an occasion like this all the emotive rhetoric we heard here last night is taken out of the debate. I heard a Deputy in the middle of a high-flown debate — he was not speaking but flying — say that because things are so bad with the farmers some of them are leaving their houses in the dead of night to get out of the country. That is the greatest codswallop I ever heard. I deal with facts. I want to nail a number of comments which were made last night. Every farmer in Ireland is only too well aware of what is happening but for some strange reason there are Deputies in this House who either do not understand or do not want to understand what is happening. The famous retreat from Irish agriculture by this Government is a favourite ploy of Fianna Fáil. I will give some interesting figures to show what is happening.
It is money the farmers want and not figures.
Deputy Byrne will have to refrain from interrupting.
As mentioned by Deputy Noonan yesterday, in the region of 25 per cent of the FEOGA budget goes to farmers. In 1984, £645 million was made available on the market support side. In 1985, the figure was £837 million. It is most important to tell the House where that money went. Suckler cow grants, calf schemes and so on amounted to £143 million in 1984 and £153 million in 1985. Many people believe that export subsidies are of no use to farmers. If they did not exist our exports to the third countries would be at a standstill. In 1984 they were worth £324 million to Irish agriculture. In 1985 that figure had risen to £357 million. Losses on the sale of intervention products which were bought by the Department amounted to £142 million in 1984 and £215 million in 1985. That is an indirect subsidy to agriculture. To take all those figures together in 1984 the total figure was £694 million and in 1985 it was £893 million.
What about the £1 million from ACOT?
It would look very small in relation to those figures. I am talking about the structure on which Irish agriculture is financed.
(Interruptions.)
We get the blame when we do not deliver, but we get no credit when we do. But for the tenacity and the dedication of the Minister for Agriculture we would not have those figures and Deputies know that.
The Minister is joking.
I have not finished yet.
The Minister is finished in every sense. Deputy Joe Bermingham made sure of that.
Deputy Noel Treacy and others spoke about this Government's retreat from the west when, they reckoned, we had retreated from the rest of the country. I want to give the type of payments and the amounts which counties in the disadvantaged areas are getting. Last year for the first time we decided, because of the problems in relation to the previous winter, to pay £7.2 million on ewe premiums. This was an advance of £4.90 last Christmas. If we did not make the decision to make that prior payment, farmers would not have received that £7.2 million.
How long were they waiting for it?
They were a lot longer waiting for Deputy MacSharry's 75p per ewe.
Deputies are not doing themselves or the House any credit.
(Interruptions.)
Deputies should listen to the facts. They are hurtful.
They are not serious about this debate.
If Deputies cannot make up their minds to listen they will have to leave the House. When I am in the Chair I will not tolerate this.
In beef cow grants £3.923 million of an advance was paid to the disadvantaged areas a couple of months ago. That was never done before in this country. Later this year 49,600 applicants will be paid £27.5 million under the cattle headage scheme in the severely handicapped areas.
What did they get every other year?
I will tell the Deputy what they got in a moment. There are 5,300 applicants in the less severely handicapped areas and they will get almost £2 million under the beef cow scheme. In the entire country 43,000 applicants will get £7.2 million under the suckler cow scheme. Under the calf premium scheme 42,000 applicants will get £3.5 million. In the disadvantaged areas 20,700 applicants will get £10.5 million under the sheep headage scheme. The ewe premiums for the entire country will amount to over £38 million for 38,000 applicants.
If the sheep and cattle are alive at the end of the year.
The disadvantaged areas which the Deputy seems to be so worried about——
The whole country is disadvantaged.
As a result of Fianna Fáil's mismanagement for so long.
The Minister has a limited time to make his case and he should not be interrupted by either side of the House.
He has a limited time in this House.
One and a quarter million acres were brought into the severely handicapped areas. By the time the current reading of herds is finished, an extra £20 million will be paid directly to Irish farmers this year above any other year.
Is that £3 per calf?
(Interruptions.)
The Minister is entitled to speak and I will see that he gets a hearing.
Many farmers in south Galway will be applying for some of that £20 million. That does not take into account the introduction of the new farm improvement programme with an increased rate of grant. There are various other schemes which I have not time to comment on. It is pure rhetoric to say that this Government are retreating from Irish agriculture or from the west in general. I have proven that there was never as much money being pumped into the system.
That is based on facts that happened in the past.
I am talking about what is happening this year.
What about the number of ewes that were lost?
Contributions should not be made by way of interruption. That does not make sense. I will adjourn the House if the Minister is not allowed to continue.
This Government are fully aware of the problems being created by the terrible weather conditions. Last year we reacted positively to a particular situation. Millions of pounds were spent that were not spent the year before on items such as these. This year we have reacted to the same degree. For some reason best known to the Creator, in some parts of the country we have 12 to 15 months of winter.
(Interruptions.)
Some people got their answer in Athlone. It is important to remember that the Government will always stand by the people at the bottom of the pile, the people who are struggling to make a living. Most farmers can see this for themselves. Within the constraints of the financial position any Government would like to do much more. In the unprecedented situation we now find ourselves in the Government cannot be faulted for what they are doing.
That brings me to the Euro loan. This is something on which Deputies on all sides of the House have been shouting about for years. It is not so long ago since you were not thanking Joe Rea at all, and you know that, Deputy O'Keeffe. It was not a bed of roses between you and Joe at all.
Tell us who qualified.
The Minister of State should address the Chair when he speaks.
The Euro loan is very important. When circumstances were outside their control many people borrowed money at relatively low interest rates. We all know what happened. As a result of rising inflation and interest rates, they found themseves in a difficult position. The Government have seen fit to ensure that there will be money made available at about 8½ per cent to 9 per cent to those borrowers. This is important for those people, who are basically the leaders in the agricultural arena and who saw fit to borrow when times were better than they are now. Most of the banking groups will have the relevant information early next week. I want to say to any farmer around the country who believes he is in a very tight financial position that he should speak to his bank manager or the manager of his local ACC. This is a very important step for people in that category.
This is old hat, but it can never be said often enough. It amazes me why more people do not make silage with the climatic conditions we have in this country. Recently, I introduced the farm improvement programme which I am glad to say, is going extremely well. Leaving that aside, it was felt an added incentive should be brought in to ensure that as many people as is humanly possible could be got to make silage even at this stage. We have introduced a new range of grants. As Deputies are aware, there is now up to 45 per cent at current up-to-date costings——
Only Communion money.
——to get people to make more silage. I sincerely hope that that offer will be taken up.
What about machinery?
I would like to draw the attention of Deputies to the fact that three years ago inspections in the severely disadvantaged areas were carried out in the months of October, November and December. Many people had to hold on to their cattle in order to make sure that they had the cattle for the headage inspection. This caused a glut at the end of the year. They lost more than they gained. The system has now been so organised that last year we were able to have the inspections in the month of August. Hopefully, we will be able to do as good, if not better, this year. That is vitally important for very small farmers in the severely disadvantaged areas. The ewe premium grant will find its way to farmers at least six to eight weeks earlier this year. That is a positive approach by the Government. We fully understand the problems which beset agriculture at present.
Will it be paid on last year's numbers?
There are two other very important items I want to discuss. We have a duty on all sides of the House to ensure that confidence, which is so important in the agricultural industry, is not eroded unnecessarily. Of course, these are trying times. I would have to say that if this weather continues——
The Minister of State has ripped off agriculture.
——for the next couple of months there are other things we will have to look at. We could be in for a fodder shortage in the north-west. I have no doubt that the Government will react positively if that situation arises. We are monitoring the situation day in and day out——
Good boy.
——to see if the position is as many commentators have it. Everybody will accept that up to last week there were disastrous circumstances in the north-west. I would also have to say because of the bad weather conditions milk production——
And bad Government.
We have come to the stage where we will be blamed for the bad weather. In so far as milk production is concerned the super-levy, which was a source of anxiety to farmers over the last two years, will not be a factor on this occasion. It is now up to everybody to ensure that maximum production is arrived at between now and the end of the milk marketing year. If the weather stays as it is today for the next couple of months our position will be much better.
Will the sunshine improve the Government's performance?
It will improve us all, Deputy. One of the most important factors which appears to be overlooked and to which I want to refer before I conclude——
(Interruptions.)
The Minister of State should be allowed to conclude. At its best, it is childish; at its worst, it is a most unfair way to be carrying on in a confined debate.
This refers to the beef cow grant itself. It is important. For some strange reason — this is something which appears to have been peddled around mischieviously — people are beginning to say that the Government said: "ah, we will pay £70 or £100 on the beef cow and there is none of it coming." I want to categorically state that the biggest single amount ever payable to the beef cow sector will be paid this year. The £32 is being increased to £70. If we add the cow suckler premium, which is about £27, the headage payment of those in the headage areas and the calf premium, it is way over £100. It is our belief that it is important we have a very strong beef sector, particularly in the suckler section. We will put our money where our mouths are. We are putting £11 million of somebody's money into the system in order to add that extra incentive for the small beef cow producer. Basically, they are all very small producers. I sincerely hope that they will react favourably to it and that we will build up the numbers fairly dramatically over the next few years.
Anybody who will point a finger and say that that is bad policy by the Department of Agriculture is only a begrudger. Despite all the pessimism which is being pumped across this House day in and day out the ordinary rank and file farmers are seeing what actually happens on the ground and that there is a genuine effort being made by the Government to help them in their hour of need.
Government policy is to get rid of the farmer.
It is my pleasure to have the opportunity to speak on this very important debate. I have listened to the range of schemes which the Minister has announced. They will undoubtedly be of major advantage to the farming community over the coming 12 months. We cannot but recognise the extremely difficult situation the farming community have gone through over the last year, conditions which were totally outside their control. I want to compliment the Minister for Agriculture on his efforts to try to alleviate the very serious situation farmers faced over the last number of months. It is important to note the number of schemes the Minister introduced to alleviate this very difficult situation. First, there was the nitrogen subsidy scheme, later the silage subsidy scheme and then the Shannon Valley aid scheme, referred to last evening by Deputy N. Treacy. Indeed, I regretted the tone of Deputy Treacy's remarks.
The facts are stark.
I am sure the electorate of Roscommon will be delighted to note that it is the opinion of Deputy N. Treacy that Roscommon received special treatment——
Got dubious political treatment.
——since his two colleagues have been stating continuously that they did not get a fair deal. It is important also to note that that remark emanated from a member of the Fianna Fáil front bench. So much for what Fianna Fáil think about the hard pressed farmers in the Clonown and Shannon Valley area——
(Interruptions.)
Deputy Treacy must cease interrupting.
The Deputy is provoking me.
The Deputy should leave the House then.
The feed voucher scheme was one of the best ever introduced and constituted quite an amount of aid for needy farmers thoughout the length and breadth of the country. As the Minister has said, the new EC loan will help to ease the burden on many farmers endeavouring to meet high loan repayments. All of those aids are to be welcomed.
I also want to welcome the new grant scheme which will play a major part in alleviating the difficult position of many farmers vis-à-vis housing for their cattle or who want to carry out reclamation and drainage works. It should be remembered also that in the difficult time experienced in the months of March and April the Government made available Army transport to the farming community to transport fodder from one region to another.
It is very easy to be critical. I listened to many people opposite. All they have done is jump on the backs of farmers who have been experiencing extreme hardship in recent months. They have not put forward one constructive proposal but rather have knocked everything the Government have done. I shudder to think of the day that party might be in Government when the farmers will be seeking guidance from them.
The Deputy should go down and tell people that in the west.
(Interruptions.)
The Minister mentioned a number of schemes in operation. I appeal to the Minister to examine the possibility of having payments made as soon as possible under all of those schemes. The early payments made on the sheep subsidy and beef cow schemes were welcome. I know the Minister said he would arrange to have the headage readings taken earlier, which is to be welcomed also. Very often farmers had been forced to hold on to cattle, ending up with a glut at the end of the year.
I appeal to the Minister and his colleagues to examine the possibility of having all western areas included in the provisions of the severly disadvantaged scheme, one way in which we can substantially increase the income of the farming community. Farmers have experienced enormous difficulties caused by the extremely bad weather, losing all of their winter feed last year. Indeed, because of the very bad spring, many will have no hay for the coming year. These are realities that must be faced. Perhaps the Minister and his colleagues would ascertain what can be done to extend the provisions of the headage payments scheme, not alone in regard to an extension of the areas covered by its provisions, but also the possibility of increasing the payments themselves. I believe that is one way in which we can get the EC to pick up some of the costs suffered by this country as a result of the bad weather. We cannot and should not under-estimate farmers' difficulties.
One could not speak in this debate without referring to the difficulties of many farmers vis-à-vis financial institutions. We must examine what can be done to alleviate the pressure on many farmers, caused by their having borrowed money at relatively low interest rates some ten years ago. Because of the way the money market went they now find themselves paying interest rates almost double those obtaining at the time they borrowed. Very many such farmers are no longer able to meet such commitments. I very much resent the implication of the Opposition that that is the fault of the Government.
It is, of course.
We all appreciate there is a limit to what the Government can do. They have made cheap money available through the Euro loans system. The Government might usefully meet the lending institutions to ascertain what could be done in order to have farmers treated more sympathetically and, wherever a rescue package can be devised, that should be done.
I might refer to one part of the country, the subject of discussion here last week, that is, the Shannon valley. Farmers there are unique and distinct from any other section of the farming community. Very many of them still have their lands flooded and are facing into their second year without any income whatsoever. Special assistance will have to be made available to them and urgently. Some of those farmers had to sell off their stock last August or September rather than endeavour to continue to feed them. Some cattle are still being fed indoors with very expensive concentrates. Many such farmers borrowed money from the creameries or banks and are now encountering major financial difficulties. Indeed, they could not have foreseen the possibility that their lands flooded in August last would remain flooded on 1 June 1986. I appeal to the Minister to ascertain what can be done to alleviate the difficulties of approximately 3,000 farmers in that region embracing four or five counties. A public meeting was held in Athlone on Friday evening last when this matter was discussed. I notice the total absence in the House this evening of Opposition Deputies——
Not true.
——who made so many promises to those farmers at that meeting.
Our presence was acknowledged; we were represented there.
There is not one of them in the Chamber this evening. Yet they promised the sun, moon and stars. No amount of money was too great to mention. Their sincerity is proved by their absence. I hope it will be noted by the people in that region. I appeal to the Minister to ascertain what can be done to alleviate the plight of those farmers.
A change of Government, that is the formula, and the sooner the better.
Many of those farmers have absolutely no income. The Government will have to examine what can be done to alleviate their plight. I might refer to unemployment assistance, a mechanism introduced many years ago to augment the income of many small farmers in the west. It was an excellent scheme——
Thank you.
——eligibility for which was calculated by reference to land valuation. As a result of a court case some four years ago that scheme had to be changed. There is now in operation what is known as a realistic assessment system which is causing major problems and hardship for many families. The Minister and his colleagues might ascertain what can be done to alleviate the hardship caused to many of those farmers as a result. For example, some of them were assessed on their 1984-85 income. That no longer obtains because many of those people who were assessed as having an income of, say £2,000 from land in the year 1984-85 have ended up without an income in the year 1985-86 because of the continuing bad weather conditions. I appeal to the Minister to see what can be done to give greater assistance to these hard pressed farmers.
Whatever about the Minister of State not understanding the plight of farmers in the west at least Deputy Naughten understands it. He has been speaking to our motion for the last ten minutes. Perhaps he might do the decent thing and vote with us later on.
We are talking about the plight of farmers in the west and the 1986-87 fodder crisis. There is a genuine emergency in farming west of the Shannon. Unless remedial action is taken and Government support is given, famine conditions will exist for animals and crippling poverty will return to the farming community in the west. Unprecedented hardship is now widespread and, with no long term forecast for better weather, farmers are depressed about the future.
There was a totally inadequate response to the fodder crisis last year, particularly as far as sheep farmers are concerned. There are no reserves of fodder. Cattle and sheep are in bad condition. Thousands of them have died. Hill sheep farmers suffered untold losses last year. There were big losses in calving and lambing due to malnutrition and lack of fodder. The fodder which was available was not of good quality. Losses incurred as a result of dead animals are three times what they should have been in a normal year. These are the facts. The Minister of State being from the west should know the position and should not continue in the negative way in which he has been speaking.
Growth is six weeks late this year. Farmers have used the fields usually reserved for hay and silage to feed their starving cattle. The cattle should have been taken off these fields many months ago.
The tillage position is just as disastrous. Crops were not sown because of bad soil conditions and those that were rotted in the fields. There was sunshine today in the west. If it does not rain before midnight it will be the first day in nine months that they will not have had rain. The feed cost for farmers for the first five months of this year was 75 per cent more than in the same period last year. Hay worth £1 million had to be introduced into that area. There has been a decrease of 7 per cent in milk supply and creamery cheques are not sufficient to pay bills.
There are poor prices for cattle at present. On average there is about a 16 per cent reduction in cattle prices. Farmers are despairing and are selling off stock to provide food for their families. They have no disposable income with which to buy the fertiliser they need. Purchases of fertiliser have fallen by 20 per cent compared with last year. Farmers' debts have increased by one third over the last year. You are responsible for what remains of the Irish Land Commission. The Land Commission are owed £3 million by farmers. You have not done anything to help them.
The Deputy should address the Chair.
As regards cattle headage payments as far as Sligo and Mayo are concerned £8.3 million was paid out in 1985. The EC rules would have allowed £20 million to be paid out had the Government taken the initiative to provide the extra few millions which would have generated that extra revenue. That is the kind of money which is needed. It would allow farmers to provide food for their families and the necessary fodder for their livestock. Why is the Minister denying farmers the rights they have under EC legislation? The vehicle is there and the Minister only has to use it. Money is urgently needed now in order to buy fertiliser to minimise the fodder shortage next winter.
The Minister should make the necessary arrangements for an increased headage grant payment this year up to the maximum available from EC sources. The silage subsidy of £5 per tonne for the first 40 tonnes should be continued. A nitrogen fertiliser grant of £35 per tonne should be introduced. That would be short term aid. In the long term the Minister should introduce a decent grant for silage slabs. A decent grant system should also be introduced for cattle housing which would help to defray the cost of materials. Such a grant is available in another part of the country.
We heard further bad news this evening. The bacon industry merger which was to take place in the west has been scuttled by the Government. They have refused to fund the merger and the rescue package put together by Fóir Teoranta. It would have cost £4.5 million. The Government can rescue Bewley's cafe in this city but they cannot save the livelihood of 800 workers in the bacon factories of the west. That is the kind of thing we mean when we talk about Government mismanagement of the economy. There is need for the Government to examine their conscience. Their priorities are all wrong. The pig takes second place to coffee and buns as far as the Government are concerned. Surely it is time for a change of Government.
I was delighted to hear Deputy Naughton talk about unemployment assistance. Let us remind him and the Government that it was Fianna Fáil who introduced the notional assessment scheme. It was of great aid to small farmers in developing their properties and increasing productivity. That scheme was ended needlessly by the Government. It is like crying crocodile tears to talk about restoring something which the Government the Deputy supports did away with in the recent past.
(Interruptions.)
Not so.
There is no mechanism for increasing the allowances to be paid due to the extraordinary difficult and severe cash downturns in farm income. If farm incomes are reduced by 20 per cent, why cannot the assistance be increased to compensate for that? It is unjust and unfair to a section of the community who work seven days a week, 12 months of the year in a hard and difficult industry when they are treated so shabbily by the Government. Fianna Fáil introduced the small farm development plan. This allowed small farmers to develop and get full benefit from the EC money which was available to them. In 1965 Fainna Fáil introduced unemployment assistance based on the notional system.
The Government have acted disgracefully in dealing with agriculture particularly in the west. They scrapped the farm modernisation scheme, the artificial insemination scheme, the lime subsidy and drainage schemes. They took away medical cards from farmers and are responsible for the return of emigration to one in every three families in the west.
The Government have no right to say they have any answer to the farming crisis, in particular as it affects the west and the areas I represent. They have done the dirt on the bacon curing industry and are throwing 800 people onto the dole queue in Counties Roscommon, Mayo, Sligo and Limerick. That is disgraceful when they could find plenty of money last week for coffee and buns in this city. They cannot find £4½ million to protect the jobs of 800 people in the west.
Farmers were affected in many ways over the past 18 months. We had a bad spring and summer in 1985. As a result not as much hay or silage could be made as would be made in normal circumstances. It was followed by a bad winter and a late spring with grass and growth generally six weeks behind. That resulted in heavy losses of cattle and sheep in rural areas. In south Kerry farmers lost many sheep and cattle. There were heavy losses of sheep in mountain areas in south Kerry, particularly during the lambing season. Were it not for the headage grants and the sheep subsidy premiums, those sheep farmers would be out of business today.
The disadvantaged area scheme should be extended to include the 12 western counties. I see no reason why all of County Kerry is not declared a severely handicapped area. If, as reported in the newspapers, Germany succeeded in getting EC Agriculture Ministers and the Council of Ministers to have half of that country designated as a disadvantaged area at a cost of £25 million to the EC and £25 million to the German Government, why is it that our Minister for Agriculture does not press for an extension of the disadvantaged area scheme in Ireland? People cannot understand why many areas were omitted originally. In south Kerry parishes such as Listry, Ballyhar, Firies, Gurrane Mountain and areas near Farranfore were not included, although there is nothing there but bogland and it is safe to graze cattle and sheep for six months of each year. In my view those areas qualify in regard to height over sea level, nature and quality of the soil and the small number of dwelling houses in the areas occupied by those engaged in non-agricultural activities.
There is no question but that the continued bad weather is causing problems on most farms. Land normally not grazed is now being put aside for sileage and hay. The yield will be much lower this year, about six tonnes this year compared to nine tonnes in other years. A second cut will have to go to in late autumn if Irish agriculture is to survive over the coming winter and up until April next. The Government should monitor the position in the autumn.
Many dairy farmers who are caught in regard to super-levy conditions are in serious difficulty. Farmers who are half way through their development programmes are in serious trouble, particularly if they have borrowed money to pay for buildings, stock and drainage. How can such farmers meet repayments if they are programmed by the local ACOT office to produce 30,000 gallons of milk but are limited to 15,000 or 20,000 gallons? Such farmers cannot attain their realistic targets of maximum milk production from their farms. Many farmers who had their herds wiped out in 1983 by TB and brucellosis are in serious difficulty. What quotas are they allowed? Surely they should be allowed a quota based on their peak year prior to 1983?
I should like to give an example of a typical case, that of a farmer near Killarney who has been caught under the super-levy system. That farmer prior to 1982 produced more than 20,000 gallons of milk, but between 1982 and 1983 he had a TB problem in his herd and he had to get rid of some of his best animals. That year he produced about 8,000 gallons of milk. In 1984 his herd was completely wiped out by brucellosis and last year he started milk production again but was given a quota of 8,000 gallons. In 1979 he had produced 22,000 gallons; in 1980, 19,000; and in 1981, 15,000; but for this year his quota has been reduced to 12,865 gallons. Is it fair to restrict a farmer who was carrying 30 cows in 1983 to such a quota? There are many farmers like that Killarney farmer.
Concrete proposals to eliminate animal diseases were put forward to the Minister by farmers and their organisations, but I do not think they were taken seriously by him. I have heard allegations about the damage being caused by badgers. There is proof that badgers carry diseases such as TB and brucellosis. The Minister should listen to the farmers who are well versed in those matters. He should ask the Wildlife Section of the Department of Fisheries and Forestry to grant permits to farmers to destroy badgers in certain circumstances. Many farmers are furious with the Minister because he is not doing anything positive in this regard. I appeal to him to treat this matter as urgent.
In my view there should be a minimum quota of 25,000 gallons for super-levy purposes. It is not the small farmers of Ireland, who supply less than 25,000 gallons per annum, who are causing problems in regard to intervention. The large multinationals in Europe are responsible for the milk and beef mountains. The Minister should seek an exemption from this super-levy in respect of the first 25,000 gallons of milk supplied by Irish farmers. He should put that proposal before the Council of Minister of Agriculture. Farmers cannot avail of the grant-aid offered to them by the Government because, due to their financial circumstances, they are unable to put up the balance of the money required to carry out their programmes. Farmers are unable to avail of loan facilities for similar reasons. Our farmers never experienced such problems before.
I am aware that many farmers will not receive a milk cheque until August due to the bad harvest in 1985 and the bad spring this year. It has been necessary for many of them to borrow heavily and get feed on credit from creameries and co-ops. How can such farmers avail of loan facilities to carry out development programmes?
The motion is timely and was well presented. Agriculture is in a disastrous state and requires a comprehensive package of emergency measures. Thousands of farmers are facing serious financial difficulties, and in some cases bankruptcy, because of the reduction in milk prices and output, the loss of livestock and the failure of crops. The Minister should do something positive for the farming community, particularly those who cannot avail of grant-aid or loan facilities.
I was disappointed at the response of the Minister and the Minister of State to our motion. If one tossed their comments together one would find very little comfort for our farmers. Minister Connaughton insisted on talking in millions, but what would those millions mean to a farmer who is looking at dead stock in his fields? The Minister claimed that many schemes were introduced recently, but I should like to remind him about the AI subsidy scheme, the calf heifer scheme, the farm modernisation scheme, the farm retirement scheme, the western drainage package, the reduction to An Foras Talúntais, the reduction to ACOT, the reduction in the amount allocated for disease eradication, the reduction in calf premiums and the abolition of the Land Commission. All of these had a vital role in agriculture. I support fully the motion before the House and sincerely hope that we will have support from the Government backbenchers. I know from speaking to them that they are disgusted at the Government's performance since 1982.
In 1982 we had fixed prices and unlimited quantities of produce. Today we have disastrous prices and very limited quantities. I have never seen such depression and hopelessness among the farming community. I have never seen such a demand from the agricultural community for leadership and commitment. Farmers are facing grave financial penalties if they exceed quotas. They are receiving tax bills by the score in what is regarded as the worst year ever. They are being treated like criminals by the banks who in the late seventies offered money as if there would be no tomorrow. Young would-be farmers are again taking the emigration ship in large numbers.
The EC appreciate that the Irish Government are anti-farmer and weak and therefore are taking advantage making the Irish farmer pay the penalty for the offences of the bigger nations who import at will from outside the EC. We in Fianna Fáil believe that agriculture here has come close to a point from which there will be no return. It appears to us that we are the only political party who still recognise that agriculture is the basis of our economy, that half of the Irish work force, 500,000, are employed directly or indirectly in the industry. If the foundations of that industry are shaken, so will the jobs of those 500,000 people.
The big crisis in agriculture today is the low level of income which has reduced the purchasing power and the investment potential of Irish farmers. This has a major impact on the economy as a whole. If farmers' purchasing power is reduced, all agri-related businesses throughout the country will be affected. There are many examples of this: small building firms have gone to the wall, farm machinery sales firms, drainage machinery, tractors, etc, are going out of business. The farm management survey of An Foras Talúntais shows that three out of every five farmers have incomes of less than £100.
In 1985 when average industrial earnings were £9,000, the average farm income was £4,900. The low level of income has come about because of an anti-farmer bias in the Cabinet, an attitude clearly displayed by the Minister for Labour in the Dáil recently in answers to questions by Deputy Browne and me. He implied that all the difficulties in Ireland were related to the fact that farmers refused to pay rates. We had the suggestion from the Minister for Agriculture that milk prices for farmers were a little too high. For his information, Irish farmers get the lowest milk prices in the EC: last year we received 12 per cent less than the average paid to our European counterparts and 17 per cent less than Danish farmers.
It is important to point out that Irish farmers will respond to leadership. Since 1973 the growth rate in Dutch agriculture was 50 per cent. In the same period Ireland was second in the EC with a growth rate of 43 per cent, but today it is difficult to have the heart to invest or to produce. At every hand's turn the Government are killing off the incentive and the will to advance. It was tragic to read recently of the trauma being suffered by farmers who had lost all or most of their cattle in the bad weather. They were kicked out on the road by the lending institutions. Many of those farmers now have suicidal tendencies. It is a sad day.
The only answer coming from the Minister for Agriculture and the Cabinet is a deafening silence and callous carelessness. How many times must we repeat that the agricultural industry here is not only about farmers? It concerns every citizen in the nation, and everything possible must be done to ensure that the flight from the land of young would-be farmers is halted immediately. It is a well known fact that per head of the population more people from farming stock are emigrating than in any other sector.
It was frightening to look at pictures in last week's issue of The Farmers Journal of cattle in houses for nine months, with zero grazing, with machinery bogged to the axles, destroying the land for years to come. It is not surprising that young people do not want to stay on the land.
The Government's answer is a mickey mouse scheme. Last night the Minister for Agriculture suggested that there would not be a necessity to apply for planning permission for silos. I do not know if he has taken over the role of the planning officer in other counties but he certainly has not in County Wexford, because I was on to the planning office there today and I was told that if I applied for permission to lay down silage slabs or a building of any kind I would have to wait for the same time as anyone else.
It is real help the farmers need — genuine meaningful commitment. Irish farmers now owe the banks and other lending institutions £1.7 billion and a further £0.3 billion to the co-ops. The Government's answer is a renewed vigorous tax campaign among farmers who are barely subsisting. An Irish farmer who borrowed £50,000 six years ago would now have paid £28,000 in interest. His Dutch counterpart would have paid £16,000. Real interest rates here are at 15 per cent, the highest ever, considering that inflation is between 3 per cent and 4 per cent. There has been a loss of £150 million since January this year because of the effects of bad weather. If you couple this with the £300 million the Government have withdrawn from agriculture in the past four years it makes very bad reading.
Milk production this year is down by 30 per cent and, with poor prospects for the remainder of the year and no hope of recovering losses, it is possible that our milk quota will not be reached and we will suffer the consequences. Such a situation could be averted by a solid plan of action, with cheap money made available. The £100 million Euro loan is bound up in red tape. Solution of our problem would cost £2 billion. This effort by the Government is only a token gimmick and the farmers can see through it. It is interesting to note that the Government are not taking any risk because they are charging an extra 2 per cent.
Let us have a look at this loan. It comes at 4½ per cent interest to be paid to Europe, 2 per cent bank handling charge, 2 per cent Government risk and 0.75 per cent reserve asset costs. If all that is totted up it comes to 9.25 per cent interest, and with the prospect of interest charges falling next week it makes the thing a complete laugh.
Tell that to the man who is paying 15 per cent.
I am saying it to the Minister tonight. The failure of the Minister for Agriculture to get a reasonable package for our farmers this year spells disaster for cereal growers, for milk producers and beef farmers. The pig industry is dying fast. The horticultural industry is in a shambles with £13 million worth of tomatoes imported last year. The acreage of tomatoes dropped from 360 in 1982 to 224 in 1985. It was the duty of the Minister for Agriculture to fight for our farmers, but he agreed to a package that even the German Minister voted against. Deputy Deasy was working on instructions from his Government, the Government of farmer haters. His vote was a disaster for Irish farmers. Was the great reception the Anglo-Irish Agreement got in Europe part of the deal?
It is no wonder farmers are depressed when they hear all the talk of gloom and doom by Opposition speakers in this debate last night and tonight. Last year milk production was down by 7 per cent, not 30 per cent as stated by the previous speaker. Quoting figures like that does untold harm to the way people think——
I am talking about this year.
The Deputy is being disorderly. He should allow the Deputy in possession to continue without interruption.
He made a statement that was untrue. If he is going to talk about what I said, let him tell the truth.
The Deputy is being disorderly.
I should like to remind the Opposition that there are farmers in other parts of the country apart from the west. We have been hearing only of the plight of farmers in the western counties, but I should like to inform Members that in the northern part of my county there is land that is as bad as in western areas. It is interesting to note that because of the action of the Minister for Agriculture——
The Deputy means his inaction.
He visited the areas where farmers experienced severe difficulty in saving fodder. Because he took action, the Opposition suddenly realised they had to put down a motion in this House. Problems exist with regard to fodder and also with regard to the financial state of farming, but the Minister's proposal, together with help from the EC——
What proposal?
That help, combined with the efforts of the farmers, means that fodder can and will be saved if the weather continues as it was today.
It is a case of live horse and get grass.
In the circumstances the financial institutions must play a vital role in reorganising loans for farmers.
The Deputy should not try to pass the buck. The difficulties are due to the bad economic policies of the Government.
Most of the farmers who are in difficulties today borrowed money in the period 1977 to 1980. However, because of the way the then Government were running the country their income decreased by 52 per cent. They were the first band of farmers who were helped under the rescue package produced by this Government when they came to office. It was proposed by them in 1981, was shelved by the Opposition in 1982 and was reintroduced by the Government in 1983 for the 2,000 farmers concerned.
Because of the six weeks late growth this year and the vital importance of the next three months to deal with the fodder problem, it is essential that all the financial institutions should give money to farmers to help them get over the period. It is not true to say that the problem exists only in the west of Ireland. It affects farmers in other areas also; I am happy the Minister will reapply to have large areas, including north Meath, included in the severely disadvantaged areas.
I speak for small dairy farmers in my constituency. I was present when the Minister of State, Deputy Connaughton, told them in Cavan that a good deal was achieved for them in Europe, that Europe had a problem of overproduction and that the West Germans, who paid much of the bill, were unwilling to continue to do so. This defeatism did not impress farmers who had been encouraged to increase production and who have been beggared by fodder costs.
During the week the Minister spoke to us The Economist indicated that butter sales to Russia would cost the EC $200 million. Some 80,000 tonnes came from West Germany; 11,000 tonnes came from Britain and only 9,000 tonnes came from Ireland. That was the context in which that Minister spoke to small farmers in County Cavan. On 31 May The Economist reported that West Germany agreed to compensate their farmers for EC reductions in prices and the EC obliged by allowing West Germany to reclassify nearly half its farm acreage as poor areas eligible for higher levels of support.
Farmers who had been encouraged by us to vote for entry to the EC on the strength of the benefits of the Common Agricultural Policy have been betrayed. So, too, have the industries that died so that the CAP could live and so that a market of 320 million could be made available for German cars, Italian shoes and women's wear from France, Germany and Italy. All these industries in this country died so that the CAP might live, but now the CAP is being killed by the incompetence of this Government.
Rubbish.
While our industries died, others grabbed the industrial bag and now we are being robbed so far as agriculture is concerned. I put two points bluntly to the Minister. We have no crédit agricole here. We should make some financial provision for farmers who have mortgaged their monthly creamery cheques until the end of 1987 in order to buy fodder for their stock for this season. The co-ops, though knowing the danger, have allowed them to mortgage their cheques for the future year. Let the Government come to their aid: they will not fail the country. My second point to the Minister is that the Government should have the guts to do what the Germans have done. They should see to it that all the 12 western counties are classified as severely disadvantaged areas.
Why did Fianna Fáil not do that in 1978?
They are severely disadvantaged areas.
(Interruptions.)
I ask the Minister and the Government to face up to reality.
Fianna Fáil had their chance and did not take it.
Shame on the Government.
(Limerick West): For the benefit of the Minister of State, Deputy Connaughton, we repeat that this Government have withdrawn the sum of £200 million from Irish agriculture since they came to office. This evening my colleague Deputy Byrne outlined the number of schemes introduced by Fianna Fáil which this Government withdrew.
(Interruptions).
(Limerick West): Neither the Minister nor his Ministers of State responded to the crisis in agriculture. It was only when we put down this motion that the Minister visited the affected areas. Last night the Minister gave us a detailed account of money paid under various schemes, but these were normal payments and have no bearing on the crisis facing the Irish farmer at present.
When I opened the debate last night I stressed the main points — the crisis in agriculture and the need for Government action. In support of his amendment the Minister gave an account of the weather conditions. He gave a repeat account of the EC price agreements, and the now familiar dodging of the cave in on the 3 per cent reduction in the milk quota. He gave an account of the imbalance in the milk sector. He told us about the Euro loans and we got detailed figures of farm incomes, but he made one worth while suggestion. He said the country might by co-operation, improve the fodder supplies this year, but nowhere did the Minister or his Ministers of State deal with the crisis in farming. He repeated the list of actions the Government took since last summer at a cost of £22 million, but those actions were taken many months ago. That money is spent. That money was to deal with the autumn 1985 crisis, not the spring crisis. I got the strong impression that the Minister was unaware of the real nature of the crisis, or if he is aware of it, then his Government colleagues are holding him back and are not allowing him to take the necessary action.
Last evening I said what the Government should be doing. I suggested that this Government should reintroduce the subsidy on fertilisers and limestone and the AI subsidy, they should increase the disadvantaged areas and the headage grants, and substantially increase the Euro loan scheme. For these reasons, we should look for the help of the EC at once. I want to stress the attitude I firmly believe the Government should have taken in their approach to the EC. They should not approach the Community with the begging bowl in hand. The facts are there for all to see. A hard headed professionl body like the EC should have no difficulty in recognising a genuine crisis when it is presented to them. The Community should recognise the crisis and their obligation to Irish farmers.
The Government would only have to point to the aid given recently to German farmers to bring the Commission and the Council of Ministers to a realisation of their obligations towards this country. German farmers were granted huge sums of money from the EC to make up losses of income which they suffered last year. Looking at the treatment of German farmers and comparing that with what is happening to Irish farmers, we see an outstanding example of the real divisions between member states. German farmers were given Community money and money from the rich German Exchequer to make up income losses. Did German farmers face the same difficulties Irish farmers faced in the past 12 months? Are there stories in German newspapers of cattle dying of starvation, of the German Army having to rush to the aid of those farmers with supplies of fodder, of starving animals having to graze this spring's meagre grass thereby leaving no grass for silage for the coming winter? I will not elaborate on this further because of a lack of time but our Government could use the German case when putting our case. We should be able to put a case which would be immediately accepted and acted upon if only the Government were to take action.
Fianna Fáil Deputies from different parts of the country gave detailed and impressive accounts of the state of farming in different areas. Their accounts must have impressed the Minister. I am sure Government Deputies have given him similar accounts of how they see the crisis in farming.
Where is the Minister for Agriculture, Deputy Deasy?
(Limerick West): I make a final appeal to the Minister to take action. Instead of spending his time repeating what he has already said, he should be telling us if the Government will take action on the lines I have suggested. Farmers face this summer with fear because, unless we have reasonable summer weather, farming conditions will be worse in the winter and the spring than they were in the past 12 months.
Is the Deputy blaming the Government for the weather?
(Interruptions.)
Order, please.
(Limerick West): I am sorry to say that this Government's attitude to farming in bad times is only a continuation of how they treated agriculture since they came into office. We never got the feeling that they looked on agriculture as our primary industry.
(Interruptions.)
Order, please.
(Limerick West): We never had confidence that this Government had a policy on the development of agriculture.
An umbrella Government.
(Limerick West): The way this Government have cut back on money for agricultural development is evidence of what I have said.
Sunshine Ministers.
(Limerick West): In the case of tuberculosis eradication, there has been a callous disregard of the interests of farmers in the way money for this scheme has been cut back. Even at this late hour the Government should make an effort not to be callous. They should not gamble that events will turn out as we would like. The situation we face gives nobody the right to gamble. The Government must act now because the country will suffer if they do not. Act now or go to the country and see the answer the Minister and the Government will get from the farmers.
Amendment put.
The Dáil divided: Tá, 71; Níl, 60.
Tá
- Allen, Bernard.
- Barnes, Monica
- Barrett, Seán.
- Barry, Myra.
- Barry, Peter.
- Bruton, John.
- Bruton, Richard.
- Burke, Liam.
- Carey, Donal.
- Cluskey, Frank.
- Collins, Edward.
- Conlon, John F.
- Connaughton, Paul.
- Coogan, Fintan.
- Cosgrave, Liam T.
- Cosgrave, Michael Joe.
- Coveney, Hugh.
- Creed, Donal.
- Crowley, Frank.
- D'Arcy, Michael.
- Desmond, Eileen.
- Donnellan, John.
- Dowling, Dick.
- Doyle, Joe.
- Dukes, Alan.
- Durkan, Bernard J.
- Enright, Thomas W.
- Farrelly, John V.
- Fennell, Nuala.
- FitzGerald, Garret.
- Flaherty, Mary.
- Flanagan Oliver J.
- Griffin, Brendan.
- Harte Patrick D.
- Hegarty, Paddy.
- Hussey, Gemma.
- Begley, Michael.
- Bell, Michael.
- Bermingham, Joe.
- Birmingham, George Martin.
- Boland, John.
- Kelly John.
- Kenny, Enda.
- L'Estrange, Gerry.
- McGahon, Brendan.
- McGinley, Dinny.
- McLoughlin, Frank.
- Manning, Maurice.
- Mitchell, Gay.
- Mitchell, Jim.
- Molony, David.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Naughten, Liam.
- O'Brien, Fergus.
- O'Brien, Willie.
- O'Keeffe, Jim.
- O'Leary, Michael.
- O'Toole, Paddy.
- Owen, Nora.
- Pattison, Séamus.
- Prendergast, Frank.
- Quinn, Ruairí.
- Ryan, John.
- Shatter, Alan.
- Sheehan, Patrick Joseph.
- Skelly, Liam.
- Spring, Dick.
- Taylor, Mervyn.
- Taylor-Quinn, Madeline.
- Timmins, Godfrey.
- Yates, Ivan.
Níl
- Ahern, Bertie.
- Ahern, Michael.
- Aylward, Liam.
- Barrett, Michael.
- Brady, Gerard.
- Brady, Vincent.
- Brennan, Mattie.
- Brennan, Paudge.
- Brennan, Séamus.
- Briscoe, Ben.
- Browne, John.
- Burke, Raphael P.
- Byrne, Hugh.
- Byrne, Seán.
- Calleary, Sean.
- Collins, Gerard.
- Connolly, Ger.
- Cowen, Brian.
- Daly, Brendan.
- Fahey, Francis.
- Fahey, Jackie.
- Faulkner, Pádraig.
- Fitzgerald, Liam Joseph.
- Flynn, Pádraig.
- Foley, Denis.
- Gallagher, Denis.
- Gallagher, Pat Cope.
- Geoghegan-Quinn, Máire.
- Haughey, Charles J.
- Hilliard, Colm.
- Hyland, Liam.
- Kirk, Séamus.
- Kitt, Michael.
- Lenihan, Brian.
- Leonard, Jimmy.
- Leonard, Tom.
- Leyden, Terry.
- Lyons, Denis.
- McCarthy, Seán.
- McCreevy, Charlie.
- McEllistrim, Tom.
- Morley, P.J.
- Moynihan, Donal.
- Nolan, M. J.
- Noonan, Michael J. (Limerick West)
- O'Connell, John.
- O'Dea, William.
- O'Hanlon, Rory.
- O'Keeffe, Edmond.
- O'Kennedy, Michael.
- O'Leary, John.
- Ormonde, Donal.
- O'Rourke, Mary.
- Power, Paddy.
- Reynolds, Albert.
- Treacy, Noel.
- Walsh, Joe.
- Walsh, Seán.
- Wilson, John P.
- Woods, Michael.
Tellers: Tá, Deputies F. O'Brien and Taylor; Níl, Deputies V. Brady and Browne.
Amendment declared carried.
Motion, as amended, put and declared carried.