I recently raised the issue of the tillage crisis fund on which this Dáil voted on 18 January this year. It mandated the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to recognise the plight of approximately 300 farmers who lost a large proportion of their crops last year and to put in place a compensation fund to address the severe financial pressure they were under. Is it still the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine's commitment to follow through with that request and mandate from the Dáil? If so, why has it not been done? It is disgraceful that this fund has not yet been delivered. Can the Minister please update the Dáil today and can he ensure that the fund is put in place as soon as possible?

As I have informed the Deputy on a number of occasions during Question Time on agriculture, this matter is the subject of ongoing negotiations between my Department's officials and representatives of farmers affected. I have also stated this is a complex issue and we are some distance removed from the time when losses were incurred. Where there is a way there is a will in my Department to deal with the matter.