During the Covid crisis we have all paid our respects and thanks to the front-line workers, whether in the health service or in shops, but one sector - the farming community and the agricultural sector - has kept food on the table, not alone in this country but also in what we export to other countries. However, farmers in various sectors are at a loss at the moment. If they want to cut trees on forestry they sowed 30 years ago, they cannot do so because of serial objections and departmental incompetence. Soon 12,000 people in the forestry sector may be out of work. Timber is not available. We are now looking at importing it from Latvia and other countries to keep jobs going in the various areas.

In addition, farmers do not know whether the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS, will be rolled over. There is a section in the new Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, on strictly protected areas, under peaty lands, which would include Donegal down to Kerry, bar a few areas. Farmers affected may not get the new CAP funding because of new regulation coming in under CAP. After the last election was called, the candidates of the Tánaiste's party and Fianna Fáil, which comprise 90% or perhaps 95% of the Government, in all the hustings around the country and in their manifestos gave a commitment to the suckler sector. Sucklers comprise 95% of the cows in the area I have mentioned, which runs from the top of Donegal, along by the Shannon and right down to Kerry. They said they would fund a new suckler scheme to protect the suckler farmer. Is the Government prepared to bring this in shortly? If so, when will this happen? Will the Tánaiste give us a date for it?

Farmers and the farming community have been among the unsung heroes of the pandemic. One of the real worries we had at the start of the pandemic was distribution, supply and getting food into shops, onto tables and into and out of the island. Between the farming sector, our hauliers and our logistics industry, we made sure this was never a problem.

We appreciate their role in that, not only in making sure we had solid food supply in Ireland but making sure other parts of the world and Europe were also well fed. The Deputy will be aware that in the past year we have put in place about €100 million of grants for beef farmers, which have helped. The future growth loan scheme is being expanded and the Covid loan scheme, which will be launched at the end of August, will also be open to farmers, giving them low-cost finance to help with cash flow. We have also brought in changes to tax laws to allow people who make a loss this year to claim back some of the income tax they paid last year, which will be helpful in some circumstances.

On the Deputy's point about suckler cows, I do not think that was a commitment in my party's manifesto. It may have been in the Fianna Fáil manifesto. Our manifesto had something about sheep but I do not think we had a specific commitment on sucklers. I will double-check that but I think the Deputy is mistaken.

The Minister of State, Senator Hackett, is responsible for forestry and she will work hard on it in the period ahead. We are at an unusual stage in Ireland where it is almost impossible to plant or fell a tree for various reasons related to licences. We need to get that sorted out. I understand it largely relates to legal issues.

It is envisaged that GLAS will continue until a new scheme is up and running. There has been no formal decision on that but it is envisaged that it will continue until the new CAP starts or in the transition period. In the next couple of months, we will be working on getting REPS plus or REPS 2 up and running, which I know farmers will welcome. We will use proceeds from the carbon tax to set up a new REPS scheme which farmers will be able to avail of to make changes that will be beneficial for the environment and farm incomes.

I thank the Tánaiste. I agree with him on the unsung heroes. The €100 million for a beef exceptional aid measure, BEAM, scheme was provided when the price of cattle was down to €320 or €330 to keep a floor under the price of cattle. I am familiar with the new REPS, which is a pilot scheme. However, a pilot scheme will only involve a certain number of people over a certain length of time.

I beg to differ with the Tánaiste on the issue of a commitment because I sat beside his party's candidate. The different farming organisations got a commitment from the different candidates in each constituency and it is there in black and white. The Fine Gael Party, Fianna Fáil and other parties have given a commitment to introduce a new suckler cow scheme to protect the suckler sector in those vulnerable areas.

I welcome the Tánaiste's statement that the GLAS will roll over but we need clarity on it. We do not want to hear the Tánaiste say he does not know when that will be. We need to know when the scheme is coming so farmers are no longer wondering where they are going. The Tánaiste said farmers have been the unsung heroes and he needs to give them clarity. Will he stand by the commitment that has been made to provide a suckler welfare scheme?

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Calleary, will make an announcement on GLAS when he is ready to do so. He will want to make that announcement as soon as he can. I do not know the details but the Minister may need Commission approval or other things to continue the scheme but I am sure he will be keen to make that announcement as soon as he can and as soon as it is confirmed.

I will have to pull out the programme for Government but, to the best of my knowledge, the commitment the Deputy referred to is not in the programme for Government. I may be wrong about that. In a coalition, it is the programme for Government that contains the commitments made by the Government. I do not think a specific commitment on sucklers was in my party's manifesto either by the way, but I will check that out and perhaps I will stand corrected.