The programme for Government has the ambition of protecting farmers' incomes. Suckler farmers are experiencing severe difficulties in County Kerry and all along the west of Ireland. These farmers provide the source of our beef, by and large, for most of the rest of the country. Suckler prices are down by a third in Cahirsiveen, Castleisland and Kenmare marts.

Farmers are losing today. I ask and beg the Taoiseach that the €200 that was promised to suckler farmers be made available this year. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine gave back €76 million to the Exchequer last year and €106 million the year before. Suckler farmers need this money now as otherwise they face extinction. I ask the Taoiseach to take action in the budget this year.

I want to address the same matter of agriculture. Storm Ali devastated up to 70% of the maize crop in Louth, Meath and north Dublin last week. Less than 60% of the crop, if it is salvageable at all, will only be salvaged by the introduction of imported specialist machinery. Much of that maize was grown to meet the demand of the cereal crisis that we have had over the past number of years. In view of the precedent that was set last year in regard to cereal and potato crops in Donegal and the north west, will the Taoiseach see to it that the Minister, Deputy Creed, will offer similar assistance to those devastated farmers who have lost up to 6,000 ha of crops? It will cause a serious impact on fodder supplies later in the year in the rest of the country.

I wish to address the same matter of agriculture. Like others, I too recognise the importance of the suckler herd. The constituency I represent probably has one of the greatest populations of suckler cows nationwide. It is an important part of the cycle of beef production. If calves are not born and there are no suckler cows, the beef sector on which the country has come to rely, in terms of the jobs and the products for export it provides, will not be the same. Suckler farmers are under considerable pressure this year and Deputy Healy-Rae is right to say that a considerable amount of suckler cows have been sold. The size of the national herd is dropping significantly as a result of the pressure, particularly because of the drought and concerns as to whether there will be enough fodder over the winter. It is important that any possible supports be provided to that sector of the farming community. There is no doubt that suckler farmers are the poor relation of the farming cohort and they deserve the support of the State because of the line of product that ultimately feeds the country's agricultural sector, which is important for exports.

For the past two months meat processors have consistently reduced the price they are returning to farmers. At the same time, prices are increasing in the UK. There is now a huge differential between what cattle are making here and in the UK. There is a beef forum and it should transparently examine the returns from the market place in order that factories cannot continue to exploit farmers.

There is no promised legislation on this matter but, as regards budgetary matters, they are obviously under discussion now and I am not in a position to make any announcements about the budget until the budget happens. I know the Minister, Deputy Creed, is working with the stakeholders' forum on all of those issues and, if he is in a position to, I will ask him to give a more detailed reply.

The Minister has to work a bit harder.