asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will accept the number of late applications for calved heifer scheme subsidy as a number of farmers were not aware of the closing date.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Calved Heifer Scheme.
9.
I have directed that all completed applications received by my Department up to and including 30th June, 1969, should be considered. The termination of the scheme on 30th June, 1969, was given extensive publicity and applications received after that date cannot be accepted.
In view of the fact that the number of cases is very small, will he reconsider this matter? How was this scheme advertised?
Perhaps, it might help the House to appreciate how well it was advertised if I give the full history of the indications of the termination of the scheme. The first indication was given at the end of August, 1968. At that time it was publicised that the latest date for receipt of applications would be 3rd June, 1969, and that applications received after that date would not be considered. On 15th May last, a reminder press release, followed by an advertisement in the daily and provincial newspapers, restated the position — that the scheme would end on 30th June and that the latest date for the receipt of applications was 3rd June. At the beginning of June it was decided to extend the closing date until 13th June and a press release was issued on 5th June to this effect. In practice, applications up to 17th June were accepted and 272 completed application forms were received between that date and 30th June.
It is now proposed to accept these for consideration. This, I think, is fairly indicative of the extent to which we have gone to try to accommodate not only those who came in after the published dates but of the number of occasions on which we published the closing dates so that there should be no mistakes on the part of any producer.
Was it advertised in the Farmers' Journal?
That is a separate question.
Could we take it from the Minister's reply that if he receives a reasonable explanation as to the cause of the delay he will give it sympathetic consideration? I am thinking of one of his constituents.
The Minister, as the Deputy knows, is full of sympathy for any reasonable sort of story.