I call Deputy Mattie McGrath on behalf of his group. The same rule applies to him.

I understand that. I obey that rule. I am here all the time.

We will see.

The programme for Government specifically commits to supporting the agriculture industry. Farmers have been in Agriculture House since yesterday evening because they have not been paid the compensation they were meant to be paid following a debate in this House and a commitment made to pay them from a distressed fund. They should be at home now-----

Thank you, Deputy.

-----preparing for their own missed harvest, as it were. The Minister would not meet them. There will be a sit-in for the whole weekend. I ask the Minister if he, the Taoiseach or the Tánaiste will direct the Minister, Deputy Creed, to meet these farmers.

A number of Deputies have indicated they wish to raise the same topic.

I was first.

No, I have the list. There are no priorities with me when I am in the Chair. I call Deputy Jackie Cahill. I want Deputies to keep their questions short and concise because the Minister will reply to them all with one answer.

Last January Fianna Fáil moved a Private Members' Bill that would allow a fund to be set up to deal with farmers who were severely affected as a result of the 2016 grain harvest. It would allow €15,000 be paid to each farmer, which would be some step towards restoring some of their losses.

Does this relate to legislation?

Earlier this week there was a leaked report in the media-----

Does it relate to promised legislation?

------that stated that there would be only-----

I am going to move on.

-----a maximum of €5,000 paid to each farmer and €1.5 million allocated to the fund. I would like the Minister to comment on whether this is the exact situation? If it is, it is a totally inadequate response to the financial crisis that these farmers have faced. It would not be in the spirit of the motion that was passed here in January.

I call Deputy Michael Healy-Rae. I want him to be very precise-----

I most certainly will be. It is a disgrace that last night these farmers had to stay overnight in Agriculture House. They were promised a compensation package of €15,000. They are looking for an envelope of money to be shared out. It does not involve all that many farmers. They had the worst harvest ever last year. They stayed up all night last night in Agriculture House-----

Thank you. I have the same question for the Deputy.

-----when they should have been at home running their businesses. I call on the Minister, for God sake, to stand up and-----

I call Deputy Anne Rabbitte. I have the same question for the Deputy. We will not get beyond this issue.

I ask that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to meet the president of the Irish Farmers' Association, IFA, today to discuss what Deputy Jackie Cahill is just after discussing.

I call Deputy Aylward.

I would like to add my voice to those of the other Deputies who have raised this issue. I thought the day was long gone when the farmers of this country would have to protest and-----

Is this on promised legislation?

It is on promised legislation. It concerns the payment of this money.

Deputy, please-----

The allocation of €5,000 funding as a maximum is a insult to any man who lost his livelihood last year owing to bad weather. The Minister needs to meet this group, discuss the matter with them and give them a fair package.

In all fairness, I think Deputy Danny Healy-Rae's two colleagues have represented him very well.

There will be no time for anybody else.

A Leas-Cheann Comhairle-----

No. I have to look after other Deputies.

There will be no time for anybody else to raise a matter.

Is the Deputy's question on the same matter?

No.

I want to ask the Minister to meet-----

The Minister is an intelligent man.

-----these people and let these honest people go home.

Do any other Deputies have a question on agriculture? I call Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe. Is the Deputy's question on promised legislation?

Yes. I want the amount of the compensation increased from €1.5 million to €4 million. I presume that would require legislation.

I understand that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine received a request from the IFA for him to meet it yesterday. He is happy to meet it but it seems-----

When?

This request came in yesterday. I am sure the Minister will schedule this. He is quite happy to meet the IFA in the normal course and he meets it frequently. He has been seeking to develop the outline of a crop loss compensation scheme, as the Deputies are aware. He is in discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to develop the terms of that. He will meet with the IFA ahead of any such final decisions. As the Deputies will be aware, he has already announced plans for agri-cash loan scheme and I understand 90 tillage farmers have availed of that. There is the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS, and there has been a very significant take up of that. The Minister is responding-----

-----and is happy to meet the IFA regarding this specific proposal.