Vol. 261 No. 5
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the date from which the scheme of grants towards the cost of approved irrigation equipment for commercial producers of blackcurrant and strawberry crops will operate; when he expects to announce details of the scheme; the approximate cost to the Irish Exchequer of the scheme in 1972-73 and 1973-74; and if he expects to receive at any stage financial assistance for the scheme from EEC funds.
50.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries when he expects to announce details of and bring into operation the new grants for the assistance of producer groups in the horticultural sector; if he has estimated the approximate proportion of the cost of these grants to be borne by (a) the Irish Exchequer and (b) the guidance section of the common agricultural fund of the EEC, in the financial years 1972-73 and 1973-74; and if he has made available to horticulturalists details of the EEC legislation in regard to producer groups in this sector.
51.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the date from which the new scheme of grants to growers or recognised groups of growers of onions and apples will operate; when he expects to announce details of the scheme; the approximate cost to the Irish Exchequer of the scheme in 1972-73 and 1973-74; and if he expects to receive financial assistance from EEC funds at any stage.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 to 51 together.
I will be announcing later this week details of the scheme of grants for horticultural producers for the purposes referred to in the budget statement of the Minister for Finance. The scheme will become operative as from its announcement. An Exchequer provision of £100,000 has been made for the scheme in 1972-73 but the actual cost to the Exchequer in the different grant categories will depend on the nature and extent of the project materialising under the scheme.
The extent to which such expenditure would be eligible for partial recoupment in EEC is a matter which would fall to be determined by the EEC Commission. EEC requirements in regard to horticultural producer groups have already been discussed in detail by my Department with producers' representatives and further discussions are envisaged.
Is the Minister aware that there is already available in the Community aid for producer groups in the horticultural sector?
Yes.
Could the Minister tell me if we will be able to qualify for such aid immediately from 1st February, 1973, and if not, why not?
The compliance of our scheme which I have mentioned is about to be announced and its compatibility with EEC requirements is at present being examined.
Does the Minister propose to announce the scheme before it is cleared?
Yes.
So that if the EEC decide that the scheme operated here is not suitable for a grant from the EEC, there is nothing we can do about it at that stage?
There is an outside chance that it may have to be adjusted in some way, but I am not particularly afraid that in this case it will have to be because as far as I can see it conforms right along the line with the type of scheme envisaged in the proposals but it is under examination at present.
In view of the fact that there are pretty detailed directives available in relation to producer groups in the horticultural sector, could the Minister say if he has made these directives available or will make them available to people who might be interested in forming producer groups so that they may be able to tailor these groups in such a way as to qualify for aid from the Community?
The applicants for the scheme of grants which I have referred to will be informed of the specifications they will have to measure up to.
When will they be so informed?
I will be announcing the scheme in a couple of days time.
