asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will arrange for the payment of a farm modernisation scheme grant for a milking parlour to a person (name supplied) in County Westmeath who applied to the CAO in early March and who was told to proceed with his plan.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Farm Modernisation Scheme.
10.
If the parlour is completed in accordance with my Department's requirements and if the applicant's farm modernisation scheme proposals which include the milking parlour are accepted by the county committee of agriculture, the applicant will receive a farm modernisation scheme grant.
When will the farmer know that, because one of the officers of the Department told him a fortnight ago he would not qualify?
Told him verbally?
Verbally.
I would advise the Deputy to take that up with the Minister because, as I said in reply, if the parlour is completed in accordance with the Department's requirements there is no reason why the applicant should not qualify.
Could the Minister indicate approximately how many farmers have been classified to date?
I have not got those figures.
The Minister has not got that information. He had not got it last year.
If a man goes back and gets reclassified, will he get a grant?
That is a separate question.
I do not think there is any question in the context of the Minister's reply but that this applicant will qualify. There is no reason why he should not qualify.