Would the Minister say what percentage of the ewe premium it is envisaged will be paid prior to 1 January next?

We had hoped that we would have paid out about 60 per cent but we are making other payments at present also so it would be very difficult for me to say exactly what percentage would be paid them. I will put it another way: we decided on this occasion to increase the payment, without an inspection, from 50 per cent to 75 per cent, in other words, for the first time every farmer will receive £13.50 per breeding ewe. I can assure the House that all of that will reach the vast majority of farmers before the middle of January, that is as near as I can predict.

How can the Minister reconcile that position in view of commitments he has given over the past few months that advance ewe premiums would be paid before Christmas 1986? Can the Minister give any indication of the amount of money that will be paid out before Christmas, if any, and confirm whether a verbal directive has been given to the accounts section of his Department that no advance payments will be made before Christmas because of the budgetary position?

The budgetary position has nothing whatever to do with this matter. It is obvious that the Deputy was not aware of that. I cannot predict the exact percentage that will be paid. What I am saying is that, before the middle of January, everybody will have received their money.