DEAR EDITOR,

Whilst the nine-day Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) debacle has come to a conclusion, the damage done will take considerably longer to repair. There are also a number of questions that remain unanswered. Both Ministers of State Heydon and Hackett made it known that they were not consulted, but it is unclear if Minister McConalogue sought or received approval from the Department of Agriculture.

It would be troubling to think that any high-ranking official in the Department would give such an outlandish decision the green light. Or was this the solo-run of a minister with one eye on an upcoming general election? If so, are there no mechanisms in place to ensure that such significant decisions receive the approval of Department officials and/or junior ministers in advance? Whichever the case, the result on this farm is that any future promises or announcements from agriculture ministers or their representatives will be treated with a much greater degree of scepticism.