asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state why farmers availing of the farm improvements scheme who are compelled to operate a tractor in the carrying through of the work do not qualify for the maximum grant allowed under the scheme; and whether he will introduce proposals for amending legislation which will enable him to sanction the maximum grant at the earliest possible date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Farm Improvements Scheme.
Mr. Flynn
The basis on which grants under the farm improvements scheme are calculated is the labour content of the work. It is therefore inevitable that the percentage grant is not as great where machines are used as it is where all manual labour is employed.
When the land reclamation project is put into operation there will be no differentiation in grants between machine and manual work. The land reclamation project will be started in a few months' time in eight counties, and I hope to have it in operation in all 26 counties by the middle of next year.