Vol. 267 No. 4
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the number of applicants to date for EEC aid for structural improvement of agricultural production and marketing; the number of such applications referred to the EEC Commission for approval; the categories represented by these applications; and the arrangements made for the processing and handling of applications under the scheme.
36.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the numbers and value of the applications received by his Department for grants from the guidance section of FEOGA prior to 30th June, 1973; and the number and value of such applications transmitted to the fund with departmental approval.
42.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will state in regard to applications for grants from the guidance section of FEOGA forwarded to the fund with departmental approval prior to 30th June 1973, the number and value of those originating from the Industrial Development Authority as compared with the rest.
With your permission a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 35, 36 and 42 together.
The 30th June was the final date set by the EEC Commission for the receipt in Brussels of applications for grants from the 1973 financial allocation made from the guidance section of FEOGA for assisting individual projects designed to improve the structural efficiency of agricultural production and marketing. By that date 225 applications for grants amounting to an estimated £13.4 million had been received in my Department of which 213, amounting to £12.1 million, were recommended and forwarded to the commission. These related mainly to pig, beef, fish, poultry and mushroom production, to rural water supplies, to potato, cereal, onion and tomato storage and to dairy, meat, cereal, fish and poultry processing. Forty-one of the applications forwarded, amounting to £8.2 million, had been dealt with by the Industrial Development Authority.
Applications were processed by the Department or national agency which normally deals with applications for State aid for the particular type of project and were forwarded to the commission by my Department.
In view of what the Parliamentary Secretary said, would the Minister not consider that drainage should be included since it is of vital importance to the west of Ireland?
The scheme going forward for approval is still under consideration and preparation. It has not reached me yet but I understand it is nearly completed.
The west of Ireland has got a shock. The Parliamentary Secretary spelled it out today that there will be no grants available for arterial drainage from the EEC fund. Will the Minister consider making a strong case for including arterial drainage?
The point made by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance was that the commission cannot give assistance directly to the Government. This type of drainage is carried out directly by the Office of Public Works. This does not exclude farm projects or anything that would assist drainage being carried out under farm projects. I am sure that, to some extent, arterial drainage could be taken into consideration. The application must come from private individuals or coops.
There are nine countries in the EEC now. When these rules were made there were six. Is it not possible that they could be changed by pressure? This is the point I am trying to make.
We are not likely to change everything inside out in a few months.
Is the Minister aware of the area in land drainage that exists between arterial drainage and ordinary field drainage? I mean the cleaning up and preparation of large existing water courses, the reinforcement of river embankments, and the prevention of river erosion at certain points, which are not arterial drainage work in the strict definition but are necessary——
This is a long question.
When the case is being made in Brussels, will the Minister bear in mind that this type of land reclamation work should be presented for inclusion in the scheme?
It is important that it should be accepted and we will bring to bear any pressure we can to have it accepted.
37.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the individual amounts allotted to Ireland, Great Britain and Denmark from the guidance section of FEOGA for the current year; and the basis on which these amounts were determined.
38.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the total amount allocated for the current year to the guidance section of FEOGA in respect of the three new member countries as compared with the existing six.
41.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he envisages any changes in the amounts for the different member countries to be allotted for the next financial year to the guidance section of FEOGA.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 37, 38 and 41 together.
The total provision for aid under the guidance section of the fund for 1973 is 325 million units of account. This represents an increase of 40 million on 1972 and takes into account the enlargement of the Community. Of the 325 million units of account, it has been proposed that 170 million should be allocated to individual projects such as those in respect of which applications have now been submitted but a final decision has yet to be taken on that figure. The balance of the provision is intended mainly for the financing of common measures under the structural directives relating to the modernisation of farms, the cessation of farming activity and the provision of socio-economic information for farmers.
The Commission does not indicate specific allocations for individual member states nor the basis on which the funds are shared out. Projects are assessed by the Commission in relation to criteria laid down by the EEC and many fail to compete successfully for the limited funds available. The decision whether or not to grant aid from the fund is a matter solely for the Commission. In these circumstances it is not possible to estimate how much aid will be given to Ireland.
As far as 1974 is concerned, the total provision for the guidance section of FEOGA will be the same as for 1973 but it is not known how much will be allocated for individual projects.
Am I right in thinking that the Minister said in his reply that approximately 170 million units of account were allocated for individual projects?
Yes.
There is no allocation of that figure as between the different member countries?
No.
That figure of 170 million units of account for the total membership compares with our submission of £12.1 million. Is that correct?
I think the Deputy is not right in saying 170 million units of account. It is £170 million.
pounds?
Yes.
It could hardly be pounds as the White Paper published by the Government in regard to development in the Community gives a figure of 330 million units of account for the entire guidance section.
It is not 100 per cent clear from what I have here.
I think it is 170 million units of account.
It may be.
The Minister gave me a figure of 213 applications amounting to £12.1 million in value as being forwarded by his Department with approval to Brussels. Is that figure related to the figure he has given of 170 million units of account?
Yes.
39.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the kind of projects that will qualify for grants from the guidance section of FEOGA during the coming financial year; and the steps he proposes to take to bring them to the direct attention of persons and organisations in this country who might possibly qualify for them.
40.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the latest date for the receipt of applications for grants from the guidance section of FEOGA for the coming financial year.
43.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is satisfied that the fact that (a) grants were available this year from the guidance section of FEOGA towards the cost of certain types of investment projects undertaken to improve the structural efficiency of agricultural production and marketing and (b) that the closing date for applications was 30th June, 1973, was brought sufficiently to the direct attention of all persons and organisations in this country likely to qualify for grants.
44.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if any changes were envisaged in the machinery for making EEC funds available for the improvement of the structure of agricultural production and marketing in this country.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 39, 40, 43 and 44 together.
As in the current year grants from the guidance section of FEOGA will be available for production, processing and marketing projects of a structural nature which meet the criteria laid down by the EEC. Applications in respect of 1974 may be submitted from now on but the latest date for their receipt by the Commission has not yet been fixed.
Publicity for the 1974 scheme will be on similar lines to that undertaken this year when notices, advertisements and memoranda were issued to the Press giving the more important details about the scheme. Bodies such as the IDA, IAOS, central development committee and county development teams likely to have potential projects on hands were notified and a detailed memorandum on the subject was circulated in reply to inquiries and sent to almost 200 organisations covering all branches of agriculture. It is evident from the number and value of applications received that the publicity given to the scheme was adequate. Applications are processed by the Department or national agency which normally deals with state aid for the particular type of project and are forwarded to Brussels by my Department. No change in the procedures is contemplated at present.
The Minister is fully aware of the importance of this operation from the point of view of farmers and farming organisations generally. I would ask him to assure the House that every possible step will be taken to bring these provisions to the notice of those likely to benefit from them. Further, will the Minister give us an assurance that the personnel and the resources of his Department are fully adequate to cope with and process the applications and forward them to Brussels?
The Deputy should appreciate from the volume of applications processed and forwarded that the Department have dealt with the matter very well, particularly as the applications came in very late.
I am sure the Minister will agree with me that the fact that on this first occasion the Departmen was inundated at the last minute makes it all the more desirable that everyone should be put on notice now and that applications should be submitted as early as possible.
I agree completely.
My purpose in putthing down Question No. 44 was to ask the Minister for some elucidation regarding the provisions in respect of the guidance section of FEOGA and the new regional development policies. Can he tell us what kind of co-ordination there will be between them; in other words, is it likely that some of these projects at present capable of being considered in the FEOGA context will be transferred to some new regional fund?
It is inevitable that there will be a certain amount of confusion and overlapping until they see where the various schemes fit in and I think that will occur with us also until we have sorted out the matter.
