The programme for Government promised to support farmers' incomes. The Taoiseach's adverse comments a few weeks ago did not help confidence in the beef industry. However, I ask him to do something about a number of rules and regulations that are causing many beef farmers real concern. The 30-month rule means that farmers are paid less if their animals exceed that. There is no difference in the world between the quality of a 29-month or a 31-month animal. The four-movement rule is absolutely ridiculous.

I thank the Deputy.

The quality of that beef is no different if the animal were moved five or six times. The 70-day retention period-----

Time is up.

The Taoiseach and his Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine could do something about these rules and regulations to help beef farmers an awful lot. I am asking him to please look at those.

Unfortunately beef farmers are under extreme financial pressure. Budget 2017 promised us low-cost loans and 18 months later those loans have still not been made available to the agrifood industry. When will those low-cost loans, promised two budgets ago, be delivered?

On support for beef farmers, Deputies will be aware in the next few weeks that we should be in a position to launch the beef environmental efficiency pilot, BEEP, which will provide some additional grants to farmers who are beef producers but who provide necessary environmental information that we request from them. We always try to de-bureaucratise the CAP and the rules and regulations affecting agriculture as much as we can, but they are there for a particular reason.

There are two loan schemes, one that has been announced, issued and fully drawn down. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is working with the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation on a new scheme which should be ready in the near future.