asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries by whom the courses for socio-economic advisers in agriculture will be operated; and when they will commence.
31.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Socio-Economic Advisers' Courses.
30.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries when he expects to send to the EEC Commission the drafts of laws, regulations or administrative provisions to be adopted, as required by Article 10 of the EEC directive of 17th April, 1972, concerning socio-economic information and the vocational training of persons engaged in agriculture.
32.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries when he expects to claim refunds from the EEC under article 12 of the directive of 17th April, 1972, on socio-economic information and vocational training of persons engaged in agriculture.
33.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries when he expects to introduce measures to implement the provisions of the EEC directive of 17th April, 1972, in regard to the provision of a guaranteed income for persons leaving agriculture and undertaking a retraining course; by whom he expects the provisions will be implemented; and from what date he expects to obtain EEC financial aid in respect of such measures.
34.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the measures he intends to introduce in pursuance of the recent EEC directive for vocational promotion and adaptation for farmers, agricultural hired workers and family helpers; and if these measures will be initiated in all parts of the country.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 to 34 together. As I informed the Deputy in reply to his question of 22nd June, my Department has been considering what steps will be needed to implement the EEC directive of 17th April, 1972, which refers to these matters. It will, however, be some time before it will be practicable to give any firm answers to the points raised in his questions about arrangements for implementing the directive in this country.
Is it not the case that this directive has to be implemented by April, 1973, and presumably the measure of implementation will have to be approved prior to that date if we are to draw funds from April, 1973?
That is the case, and before that date an examination of the whole structure of farm aids will have to be made by the EEC in consultation with our own authorities here, and presumably certain adjustments will have to be made.
Would the Minister agree to give special consideration to these points: first of all, the establishment immediately of a training course for advisers in socio-economic matters, as they will have to be trained now; and secondly, to the setting up of training courses for farm workers in every county in Ireland. At present we have it in only one county, and that is dealt with in Question No. 34.
This is a matter of great detail and it is not possible to deal with it by way of question and answer at Question Time, but I accept with Deputy Bruton that there are a large number of points that will have to be considered between now and April, 1973.