We all welcome the very warm and good weather but it also brings challenges, particularly for the farming community. Will the Taoiseach take up a matter with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine on showing flexibility for farmers who are participating in the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS, and who have taken up the traditional hay meadow option within that scheme, which prevents the cutting of grass and hay before 1 July? It is five days from now. I contacted the Minister over the weekend to ask that some flexibility be shown. He has so far refused to do so. It is important, given we need to replenish fodder stocks, that every opportunity is given to the farming community to ensure it maximises fodder saving this year. I ask the Taoiseach to respond to me on this matter and to take it up with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to see that some flexibility is given in order that farmers can get on with that important work.

A number of Deputies have questions on the same matter.

I ask very strongly that the Taoiseach looks at this issue, which is of great concern to the farming community. In the cold spell we had last March, the Taoiseach called in an emergency response unit to deal with the crises that would result from the very cold weather. While everybody welcomes fine weather, it brings a considerable number of challenges, particularly for elderly people and the farming community. There are concerns about forest fires and water shortages, particularly in the cities. I ask the Taoiseach to consider reconvening the emergency response unit because although fine weather is something we all enjoy and welcome, the challenges it brings are no less serious than they were during the cold weather. I ask the Taoiseach to seriously consider that because it may be necessary if it continues for the period that has been forecast.

We will not get everyone in unless they are brief.

I call on the Taoiseach to intervene. During the cold snap, the farming community was absolutely instrumental in helping out our communities. It is a reasonable request to bring the cutting date forward to accommodate farming families. I call on the Taoiseach to do that. I have written to the Minister on the issue.

Together with Deputy McConalogue and other colleagues, I support this call. I have been contacted by 20 constituents who are involved in the GLAS. We need flexibility on this. Last year, as a result of the bad weather, those farmers could not cut the meadows. Now they want a little bit of flexibility to cut them when the weather is good. We do not know when the weather will break. I have been in contact with the Minister and had no response. I ask the Taoiseach to get involved and ask him to bring a bit of flexibility to it.

I support Deputy McConalogue's request. It is only a matter of a couple of days until 1 July. Farmers are entered into a contract under the GLAS. In the constituency I represent in Sligo-Leitrim and south Donegal, there is a real urgency about this. The same issue arises in north Donegal. My colleague, Deputy McHugh, spoke to me earlier today about it. It is vitally important to give farmers an opportunity to cut hay this week because we do not know what the weather will be like. For some of the areas I represent it is vitally important that we get a positive response.

It is a pity the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, has left the Chamber because my question was for him but perhaps the Taoiseach will be able to answer me.

We will have to come back to the Deputy if it is a separate matter. We are still on cutting the hay.

I will make hay while the sun shines. That is what the farmers are trying to do. This is a very simple issue. The Department has shown flexibility in the past when there were crises, particularly around the slurry issues. It is very sensible to simply allow a little flexibility in order that farmers can cut hay meadows a couple of days earlier. If they have to wait until 1 July, they may not be able to save the hay because it may be raining. It is as simple as that. A little bit of flexibility by the Minister would solve an awful lot of problems.

Yesterday I made contact with the Minister, as did many of my colleagues. Unfortunately our calls seem to be falling on deaf ears because the Minister made an announcement yesterday that he would not allow farmers this vital exemption. It would only be between now and 1 July, which is next Sunday. It is so important that the Taoiseach should go to the Minister today and, in the interest of common sense and the honour of God, tell him we have this great opportunity.

People should be encouraged to cut rushes and they should be baling, not alone cutting, hay. However, they have to wait until next Sunday. If the weather was to break next week, it would cost individual farmers thousands and thousands of euro. This is an opportunity that should be seized upon. It would be mighty for the Taoiseach to be seen to be directly getting involved in this. The people would be delighted with him.

Has the Taoiseach ever cut hay?

I picked stones during many a summer but I have never cut hay. We do not believe it is necessary at this time to convene the national emergency co-ordination group because we are at status yellow. Given the nature of the weather we are having, perhaps that should be "status bronze". We will keep it under review.

On GLAS, I am advised by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine that there is no law or regulation prohibiting farmers from cutting hay before 1 July. Under GLAS, however, some farmers have opted into the traditional hay meadow action. This is a voluntary action as part of a voluntary scheme. If farmers opt into the scheme, they are compensated at a rate of €315 per ha up to a maximum of 10 ha. This is a biodiversity measure and will deliver approximately €18 million in payments this year. The purpose of it is to maintain and conserve grassland flora and fauna.

That concludes questions on promised legislation. My apologies to the Deputies we did not reach.