asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will be prepared to amend the beef cattle incentive scheme to include cows in milk in the final inspection, as at present the scheme militates against farmers in the poorer areas of the country where cows are not calved until late in the year and after the first inspection, with the result that they are excluded from grants for that year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Beef Cattle Incentive Scheme.
128.
I do not propose to make any change in the scheme this year. As in 1970, arrangements can be made to accept cows which calve up to the end of July. Cows calving after that date could qualify for grant in the following spring.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that this deprives an animal of a grant if there is not a calf with the animal on the first inspection? In poorer parts of the country you have cows calving late in the summer and in the autumn and they are deprived of the grant for that year. The grant can go on into the following year but they are missing a grant for that year.