asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if the recently announced scheme of grants for horticultural producers is compatible with EEC requirements; if they will qualify for Community aid with immediate effect from 1st February, 1973; and, if not, why.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Horticultural Grants.
67.
In accordance with the Community's present practice, the aids provided under the scheme in question will fall to be examined by the EEC Commission after Ireland's accession to the Community. The extent to which these aids will qualify for recoupment from Community funds will also fall to be examined after accession.
Can the Minister tell me why these aids will not fall to be examined before we actually become a member? Is it not the case that we will be bound by the rules of the EEC from 1st February and that, therefore, we should get the funds from the EEC from 1st February and should not have to wait to have these examined afterwards? The decision has been taken in the referendum so the Minister should be able to get ahead with the job.
It may well be that certain aspects of this particular scheme may be acceptable to the EEC after our accession. Until our accession there is no immediate obligation on us to arrange our system of supports in any way that we do not see fit ourselves.
Question No. 68.
If this is not examined and approved before 1st February is it not the case that we will not get money from 1st February and if the Minister waits, as he seems to be doing, until we are in to have the thing examined then we will not be able to get the money immediately? Why will he not have it examined immediately so that we can get the money immediately?
There is no suggestion that this matter along with literally hundreds of others will fall to be examined in the coming weeks and months in Brussels. It is not realistic to single out particular items and say that nothing is being done about them.
I am going on what the Minister said.
Its operation after accession is the thing to be concerned with.
We want the money immediately.
Yes, I know. It is coming, too. The scheme has been introduced.
But we will not get EEC funds unless the thing is examined before we go in.