asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in respect of cases in which farmers who have applied for grants under the farm modernisation scheme had to erect silage pits and other farm buildings, he will sanction these buildings in the course of processing the applications.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Farm Modernisation Scheme.
15.
The farmers concerned may have their grant eligibility in respect of these structures protected by obtaining from my Department's officers an authorisation to proceed with the work.
Is there a danger that the people who are going ahead with the erection of silos without having had an inspection of the site carried out because of the strike will not qualify for grants?
If they are going ahead without authorisation they are doing this at the risk of getting no grant aid. It is open to them to apply to the Department and they will be looked after.
Strike breakers? The people are not prepared to do that.
If the people referred to by Deputy Callanan obtain planning permission from the local authority which is the appropriate procedure——
They do not need planning permission.
Of course, one needs planning permission if one is seeking to obtain a grant. It is necessary to obtain planning permission to construct any building. I am well aware that planning permission is necessary for the erection of a silage pit because if one erects such a pit on the verge of a river one will soon find out whether planning permission is necessary or not. If planning permission has been granted to a farmer, will the Department give a grant when the strike is settled?
I am prepared to look at that.
I would like the Minister to be more broad. If a farmer obtains planning permission and complies with the regulations, I do not see any reason why he should be deprived of his grant because some inspector is not available to examine the project.
As I have been saying continuously in this House if a farmer applies to the Department for a grant, the inspectors are available and will ensure that he is facilitated.
There is one point I should like to have elucidated——
This will have to be a final supplementary.
Surely the Minister is aware that planning permission from the local authority is not essential were a silage pit is concerned.
This is not my province but where a grant is concerned planning permission is required. Farm buildings generally are regarded as exempted development but where there is a grant involved the Department look for planning permission.
That is not correct.
We cannot have an argument on this question. Will Deputy Callanan please restrain himself? I have given him a lot of latitude already.
This is a very important matter. We are dealing here with a simple question of fact.
Let us have a simple question, then.
Is the Minister stating now that in order to get a grant from his Department for a farm building, planning permission is necessary from the local authority?
I am stating that this is normal practice.
It is not normal practice.
Question No. 16.
Will the Minister confirm that what he is saying is correct?
The Chair has sought to help Deputy Haughey to elicit the information he requires.
I appreciate the Chair's courtesy and I am grateful for it. This is a simple matter of fact but it is a matter of much importance to the farming community. I want the Minister to state categorically whether planning permission from the local authority is necessary in respect of farm buildings which would otherwise be exempt, in order that a person would qualify for a grant.
I have no wish to be discourteous to anybody in the House. I have said it is my opinion that planning permission is required when a grant is involved but I do not know the positive answer. This question has been put to me only now.
The Minister should have said in the first instance that he did not know the answer.