I am delighted the Minister of State, Deputy Wallace, is present but very disappointed that neither the Minister nor the two Ministers of State in the Department of Agriculture and Food are present. I object in the strongest manner to this. This is exactly what is happening to the general public in relation to area aid. We cannot get a Minister, an official or a reply and this is why I have raised this matter tonight.
I receive misinformation from the Department of Agriculture and Food as do my constituents. People are being told area aid applications have been processed and that payment will issue as soon as possible. Eight weeks later they are told there is an error in their area aid applications. Another famous response from the Department is that the area aid application has not reached the office, even though people can prove they handed in their applications as early as May last year.
Farmers cannot get through to the office. Did the Minister do a deal with Telecom Éireann who are the real winners? Farmers are robbed. They are left on hold for 20 or 30 minutes when they telephone the office. There is something very wrong and I wonder what percentage of this cost is the Government getting.
Why does an outside agency deal with area aid? It is paid by the State. If farmers make a mistake they are subject to a penalty. What penalty is imposed on this outside agency when an employee does not put the correct digit on an area aid application? Is it penalised? The outside agency never wants the issue of area aid to be resolved as it wants to be employed again next year. What is happening is outrageous.
Some farmers are told difficulties have arisen in their applications, and still they are not being notified by the Department. Why does the Department not notify farmers when a problem arises? Some farmers are notified and deal with the problem, but, six or seven weeks later they still have not received any money.
Christmas is approaching and Santa Claus only comes once a year. The Government is certainly not responding and getting into the Christmas spirit, as many farmers have not received their area aid, premium or headage payments.
How much is outstanding in terms of area aid? How many area aid applications are still unresolved in the 1998 period? Farmers are waiting for their money. This is the third time I have raised this issue. Can the Minister assure me these farmers will have their payments for Christmas? Last month the Minister said the telephone lines to the area aid office are again open. I will give the Minister £100 for the charity of his choice if he rings the office tomorrow morning and succeeds in getting through. Enough is enough. Farmers have had a disastrous year and need their money. Last year they got some price for their stock but this year they are getting nothing. I am sorry the Minister and both Ministers of State, all from the east like the Three Wise Men — Santa also came from the East — are not present. The three wise men brought gold, frankincense and myrrh: all we want for these farmers is money.