asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will request the EEC to make grants available for the repair of bog roads in this country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bog Roads Improvement.
13.
As I indicated in reply to a previous question, my Department have already raised this matter with the EEC Commission and have been informed that grant aid from FEOGA funds is not available for the improvement of bog roads.
In view of the cost of oil and coal, would the Minister not agree that this matter should be given priority in order that people might be enabled to supply themselves with turf? The present situation in this regard is totally inadequate. In these circumstances would the Minister be prepared to press further in an effort to have grants made available for this purpose?
I cannot press any further than I have pressed already. We raised this matter first at official level and I followed that up by raising it at the Council but I was told that the EEC scheme was designed solely for the improvement of agricultural structures. That excludes the production of energy and bog development is purely an energy matter. Consequently, it was absolutely ruled out.
Is it not the position, too, that drainage which is important in the sphere of agricultural production, is not a priority so far as the EEC are concerned? These are two matters which should be given prority.
There is a 50 per cent grant for drainage.
That is in respect of major drainage.
It is for land reclamation. It is well to remember, too, that there are national aids for this purpose by way of the local improvements schemes. Last year £1 million was spent on this work, some of it in County Kerry.
We know that the Department of Local Government through the local improvement schemes can help in some instances. Is the Minister aware that the Land Commission own and literally control most of these bog roads and provide no funds whatsoever towards their maintenance or improvement? The local improvement schemes cannot operate when the Land Commission are the owners. This is the big problem which the Minister must be aware I have been raising with the Department of Local Government and the Department of Lands over the past three years with no result. Would the Minister ask the Land Commission to provide funds for the maintenance at least, if not the repair and improvement, of bog roads?
That is not the question.
The question refers to EEC grants.
It is associated with bog roads. The Minister gave the local improvements scheme, as an answer, and it does not apply here.
Order, the question refers to EEC grants. A final question please, Deputy Callanan.
The Minister referred to the local improvement schemes. In any ordinary engineer's area in my county £6,000 is made available and one bog road would cost nearly £3,000. The amount is not sufficient; it only has a very slight impact.
One million pounds was spent last year.
This is a statement rather than a question.
Is the Minister aware of the magnitude of this problem, and that £1 million would not even scratch the surface? Will the Minister say if he will take some steps at national level, if not through the regional fund or otherwise, to get some means whereby private peat producers would be able to get their fuel at a cheap rate from the local plots? It is of immense importance to the western people.
I am naturally anxious to get the maximum funds for Ireland from the EEC but when it goes away from agriculture, it is not my job and there is nothing I can do when I am told it is purely an energy matter.
The Minister has colleagues in the EEC.
I have no hesitation in raising the matter with them. I do not know what is available. I doubt if money is available for this purpose. It has not in my knowledge been given to any other country in Europe.
No other member state has the same problem.
I do not accept that we are the only country with bogland problems.