On the last sitting day here before Easter, I raised the very serious difficulties confronting farmers and agri-contractors due to the enormous increase in the price of green diesel at that time. I also referred to the increase in farm input costs, such as fertiliser. Combined with those additional costs has been the reduction for some time in the prices paid to farmers for farm products, namely commodity prices. Following the Government announcement of a scheme to help offset some of those costs. It is essential that the details be announced at an early date. The scheme needs to be as straightforward as possible and not tied up in paperwork. There also needs to be some flexibility on timelines. Farmers and contractors need those payments issued as quickly as possible. For many of those hard-working people there are real cash-flow problems at present and the Department has to act with the utmost urgency to ensure these essential payments issue to eligible applicants as quickly as possible.

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