Vol. 266 No. 7
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will grant permission to Mayo County Committee of Agriculture to appoint six extra instructors to implement the small farm incentive bonus scheme in County Mayo in view of the fact that Mayo applicants comprise 24.4 per cent of the total number of farmers operating the scheme.
27.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will sanction the appointment of six extra instructors for Mayo County Committee of Agriculture.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 27 together.
Approval issued earlier this year for the creation of six additional posts of instructor in agriculture under the County Mayo Committee of Agriculture and for the appointment of six temporary instructors pending the filling of the additional permanent posts created. I understand that the committee's chief agricultural officer is at present considering a development plan for the advisory service in the county. When this is available I will be prepared to review the position in the light of any recommendations made to me in the matter of the committee.
As 24.4 per cent of the applicants in the Twenty-six Counties come from Mayo the staff cannot cope with the number of applicants. As land is extremely valuable and people are anxious to participate in this scheme, we hope the Minister will approve the appointment of six additional temporary instructors.
I think the Deputy probably knows the application was for 12 instructors. Six have been sanctioned and six temporary people have been employed. In effect, that means that 12 people are working in the area. The reason for the delay in the permanent appointments is that we are awaiting the report of the chief agricultural officer.
I am a member of the Mayo County Committee of Agriculture and I know we have only six instructors. We have not the six permanent men but we are awaiting the Department's action in the matter.
My understanding was that the committee employed six temporary people as they are free to do in the normal way.
We have not got the permanent staff.
