asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is satisfied that all opportunities were availed of to seek aid for Irish agriculture from the EEC farm fund.
20.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - FEOGA Grants.
19.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will ensure that there will be an improvement in 1974 in the scale of applications by his Department for FEOGA grants as compared with 1973, in view of the fact that Northern Ireland applied for twice as much funds as the Republic.
21.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will outline in detail the position in regard to applications for consideration for FEOGA grants.
22.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the number of departmental officials specifically involved in advising on and processing Irish FEOGA grant applications for 1973.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 to 22 together.
On 10th July last when replying to questions by Deputies Haughey and Cronin I gave detailed information about the FEOGA scheme of grants for structural projects in agricultural production and marketing, including information about the number of applications received under the 1973 scheme, the number and value of those recommended and forwarded to the EEC Commission, the agricultural sectors to which they related and the position in regard to the allocation of funds between member states for the purposes of the scheme. I also described the steps taken to publicise the scheme and the arrangements for the processing and handling of applications. Decisions by the Commission on the 1973 applications have not yet been announced.
Arising out of whatever part of that answer deals with Question No. 22, I would like the Minister to tell us the number of people within his Department who are specifically involved in advising on and processing Irish FEOGA grant applications for 1973?
I have an additional note on this. A number of Government Departments and State agencies were involved including, of course, the Industrial Development Authority. About 50 applications were dealt with directly by my Department and a large number of officers from various branches of the Department were involved to a greater or lesser extent in examining and processing them.
I readily accept what the Minister has said, but I would still like to know the number of people involved in the processing of these applications.
I do not think this number can be given at any particular time. We have at the moment only three applications from the 1974 list. What happens in all these schemes is that, at the 11th hour, applications flood in in case they are going to be late. Then, naturally, you have to get a large number of people from every section of the Department to process these applications as quickly as possible and get them in.
Question No. 23.
I am still dealing with this question.
I cannot give the answer.
If the Minister is not in a position to give the answer, perhaps he will give an assurance that certainly more than one person, as is commonly believed, is involved?
I have given the Deputy what I have here.
Then we are right in assuming that there was more than one person involved wholetime in dealing with these applications within the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
Can the Deputy imagine, when a flood of these applications come in, one person dealing with them——
It is not what I imagine at all. I am asking the Minister for an assurance that there was more than one person specifically involved in advising on and processing these applications.
I am giving the Deputy the information I have been given. I cannot go round the Department inspecting——
The Minister cannot give me an assurance?
No. 23.
There were a group of questions taken together and there are a number of supplementaries I want to ask. In relation to Question No. 20, I would like the Minister, if he can, to explain to us why it is that Northern Ireland applied for twice as much funds as the Republic?
I just cannot answer that. The terms of these grants are advertised and published. Many organisations in the country have been sent circulars about all these. I do not know what more we can do to alert people.
Will the Minister comment on the view held by many people that his Department were guilty of delays with regard to advertising this particular scheme and that the advertisements appeared late? This is, possibly, evidenced by the fact that applications were received very late.
No matter what scheme is advertised the same thing will happen. Very wide publicity has already been given to the 1974 scheme of grants. Further publicity measures will be undertaken from time to time in addition to Press advertising. Detailed memoranda on the subject have been issued by my Department to over 200 organisations covering all branches of agriculture. The IDA are concerned with applications relating to marketing and processing projects. They have literature for potential applicants.
I am still dealing with 1973 and have not reached 1974 yet. My supplementary question dealt with the situation as it was in 1973. The Minister was asked to comment on my supplementary question and I would be grateful if he would.
I am giving Deputy G. Collins a lot of latitude. The Deputy must appreciate that there are many more questions on the Order Paper. I would ask him to have regard to the position of the Chair. Many other Deputies have questions to be answered also.
I would ask the Ceann Comhairle to have regard to the fact that I have four questions down dealing with a very important topic.
The Deputy tends to repeat the same question over and over again.
When I am not getting an answer.
This is not good enough.
I repeat the questions when I do not get answers.
The Chair has no control over the answers.
I accept that nor would I want the Chair to have control over the answers but certainly the Chair cannot deny me my rights.
The Deputy is getting his rights. We are wasting time.
When I am not getting answers I will go back and look for them.
There are a large number of questions.
I am sure the Chair will appreciate my position. I appreciate the latitude given. The Chair will also appreciate that my questions are of such an important nature that at least I deserve answers to them. I have one supplementary question to the Minister arising out of Question No. 20. Would the Minister be able to tell the House what percentage of all moneys involved was sought by co-operatives as against individuals in 1973?
I gave this information in detail before. I am not sure that I have it again. I have not got that information, but I gave it before in reply to previous questions.
The Minister will appreciate that my questions were fairly comprehensive and he should be well-briefed to answer supplementary questions on them. I will appreciate getting the information from the Minister when he has an opportunity to give it.
This information is already on the record of the House.
I would appreciate if the Minister would let me have the information.
Can we pass on to the next question? We do not want arguments again.
One final question —and I am sure the Ceann Comhairle will be glad to hear the word "final"—I would like the Minister to assure the House that he and his Department will be better geared to processing and advising on applications in 1974.
The Department are well enough geared and were so also in 1973.
Nobody believes that.