Would the Minister of State not consider, as a positive approach to the problems in the west, amending the FIP to insure that he will have only one reference income rather than the three he has at present which militate against that region?

I introduced the FIP as a national scheme and I would be the first to admit that you may be sure we did not get it all right on the first day. No national scheme ever brought in was right on the first day. Certain small warts, so to speak, are beginning to appear in this and we will apply our minds to them. The problem Deputy Leonard and Deputy Gallagher speak about is that on the one hand the increased grant is an incentive to people to get into silage and on the other hand, as Deputy Gallagher says, no matter what the grant, people have not got the money to pay their part of the cost.

That is the position.

Not every farmer in the west is in trouble, but people are in trouble and no matter who they are we have great sympathy for them and will do everything we can to help them.

However, Deputies are well aware that no one solution will cure all the problems.

Deputy Naughten, and I am giving the final question to Deputy Noonan.