asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that Common Market Governments decided to spend 270 million dollars over five years to create 330,000 new jobs mainly for farmers who leave the land; if, in view of this, he proposes to keep a register of all farmers who leave the land in this country from the 1st January, 1973, so that they may qualify for benefits under this proposal; and if he will indicate how farmers leaving the land can apply for and obtain compensation and the new jobs which will be available for them under the scheme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Employment of Farmers.
68.
At their meeting of 25-26 September, 1972, the Council of Ministers of the EEC agreed in principle that the sum of 50 million units of account would be provided annually for a five-year period out of the Guidance Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund for financing projects which involve, within the framework of development activities in priority agricultural regions, the creation of permanent non-agricultural jobs likely to be filled by persons ceasing their agricultural activity and their direct descendants. The maximum capital subsidy from the fund towards the creation of each such job would be 1,500 units of account.
It is not possible to answer the final part of the Deputy's question until certain administrative and technical issues arising from the use of the EAGGF are resolved. Meanwhile, the appropriate administrative arrangements likely to be required are being kept under constant review.
Can the Minister indicate to the House or give any information at this stage on what the procedure will be after 1st January, 1973, in regard to a record of those who may qualify for compensation, details and particulars of where the jobs will be available, to whom they should apply and what the procedure will be in regard to obtaining these new jobs? Can the Minister further say, in view of the fact that it is now only a matter of weeks until we are members of EEC, if it is possible that he has not worked out any plans to deal with farmers who may have to leave the land and who may qualify for benefits under the scheme already mentioned? This is a very serious matter. Can the Minister give the House and small farmers, who may have to leave the land and have no alternative employment and who may want to avail of compensation or the jobs which the Minister has in mind for them in Brussels, any further information so that this information will be readily available on New Year's Day and so that if there are farmers who qualify they will know exactly what to do, to whom to apply and where they will be employed?
I am sorry I cannot add to the information already given for the reasons which I have given.
Would the Minister agree that there is, in the relevant directive of the Community, an obligation on us to introduce our domestic legislation providing for this scheme within five months? Given that obligation, could he say when we shall be told the details of the Irish scheme which must be introduced within that time limit?
When the details have been settled in the Community, for which the deadline is now 15th December——
We shall hear on 15th December?
Will the Deputy please not put words into my mouth?
I do not want to do that; I want to clarify the position.
That is all right but I did not say what the Deputy has said.
So that we shall hear some time after 15th December. Will it be soon after that?
What I have said is that the deadline for the details to be settled in the Community is 15th December.
And the deadline here is 25th March?
When that has been reached and assuming that the deadline has been complied with and that clarification has then taken place, we shall then proceed immediately with our own arrangements, some of which are in preparation at present but cannot be finalised until there is clarification of the situation in the Community.
Can the Minister assure us that the details will be published shortly after 15th December in view of the importance to people here of having at least three months notice of that scheme?
The Deputy may take it that the details will be published as soon as possible.
That is no answer.