I join in the earlier remarks. I thank the Ceann Comhairle, An Leas-Cheann Comhairle, the staff, including the ushers, the gardaí and everyone else. I wish gach duine a very happy, holy and peaceful Christmas.

I will go back to the issue of the knackeries. It is distressing enough to lose a fallen animal, but for that animal not to be collected from a yard is terrible. I received two calls to my office this week about it. One person has had two animals lying there for two weeks and the other case is lying for ten days. There is no sign of a resolution between the renderers and the knackeries. The Department must intervene.

The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, said this morning that they could get a licence to bury these animals. That does not happen anymore. You cannot get a licence to bury them, full stop. It is distressing enough that farmers are waiting for payments from the Department that, in many cases, have not come through this year and the issue is serious. The weather is mild and the Tánaiste will be aware what happens to animals when they are deceased. It is just not good enough to have these animals-----

Thank you, Deputy.

Serious intervention is needed to get this resolved so that animals can be moved off farms immediately.

My understanding is that the Department is aware of the issues and will work to see if they can be resolved. I will raise the issue with the Minister for agriculture.