asked the Minister for Agriculture his proposals to provide additional funding for ACOT as requested by their committees.

The total income of ACOT in 1983 is estimated at £24.5 million and there are no funds at my disposal from which an additional grant could be made to that body.

I am sure the Minister is aware that the Galway ACOT committee have scarcely enough money to hold meetings. I understand the Minister is a member of that committee. Will he do something to enable them to have enough money to hold meetings?

The total allocation to ACOT was the figure I mentioned. It is not possible in this year to make any changes in the grant-in-aid for the purpose mentioned by the Deputy.

(Limerick West): Is the Minister aware that there is a severe curtailment by ACOT on the visits of agricultural advisers to the farming community? If he is so aware, will he remedy the situation?

I am a member of the ACOT committee in Galway and that does not seem to be one of our problems. It has not been brought to my notice very often.

The Minister should get out and about more.

I have done as much travelling as the Deputy in the past six months. I have to acknowledge the fact that there are cutbacks in members' travelling allowances. At a time when it appears that because of very prudent cost cuts by the various committees——

I am not talking about members. I am talking about advisers.

I am talking about advisers as well. I am not aware that that is a big problem.

Would the Minister make himself aware?

If this were a very big problem it would be brought to my attention.

Would the Minister agree it is a national scandal that the ACOT committees in the various counties cannot afford to hold meetings to discuss our major industry? Local authorities cannot pay their allocations to ACOT in various counties including South Tipperary. Is he aware of that? It is a disgrace when we are talking about creating jobs for our young people, thousands of whom are unemployed——

The Deputy has asked a question. He should allow the Minister to answer.

As I pointed out, the allocation to ACOT was made and ACOT have devised the various methods by which they will work within that budget. I would not like it to be construed that, because of the cutbacks, the effectiveness of the ACOT committees would be undermined in any way. They perform a very useful function. Their work is acknowledged to be very important.

Deputy Treacy.

I indicated to you that I wanted to ask a final supplementary.

The record will show that Deputy Byrne got a fair innings.

Not on this question.

Deputy Treacy did not get in at all.

This is a separate quesiton. I want to ask a final and short supplementary.

I am calling Deputy Treacy for a supplementary on this question. Deputy Byrne might sit down.

Is the Minister aware that there is a great shortage of administrative and field staff within the ACOT system? Is he further aware of the inclement weather we had in the spring? Farmers who needed advice have not had this advice available to them. Will he take the necessary steps to ensure that the staff and the advice will be available to the farmers as soon as possible?

For a moment I thought Deputy Treacy was about to suggest we were the cause of the bad weather.

I would not dare suggest such a thing.

If I can be given any instances where agricultural advisers are not available I will guarantee that I will look into them.

What about the administrative staff?

I would like the Minister to assure the House that it is not the Government's intention to phase out county committees of agriculture. Is he aware of the contribution these people make in their own time? They are some of the best farmers in the country.

This is an Estimate speech.

The Government acknowledge the great contribution made by voluntary people on the various ACOT committees. Certainly it is not the Government's intention to phase them out.

7.