asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of grants given to farmers' groups in each county in each of the past three years under the following headings (a) common outfall watercourses to facilitate drainage and reclamation, (b) improvement of access farm roadways used in common by a number of farmers, (c) other installations; and the total amount expended by his Department and the amount recouped from the EEC in each of the three years.
Written Answers. - Farmer Group Grants.
Grant-aid under the Farm Modernisation Scheme in respect of joint investment works by groups of farmers was introduced only in February, 1976 (Prior to that joint works qualified for aid under the old schemes).
The following table shows the number of joint works which were aided under the Farm Modernisation Scheme in 1976 (February to December) and to date in 1977.
Department of Agriculture
Farm Modernisation Scheme—grants to Farmer Groups in 1976 and 1977 (to date)
County |
Common outfall watercourses |
Improvement of access farm roadways |
Other installations |
|||
Number of grants paid |
Number of grants paid |
Number of grants paid |
||||
1976 |
1977 |
1976 |
1977 |
1976 |
1977 |
|
Carlow |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Cavan |
— |
7 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Clare |
— |
5 |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
Cork |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Donegal |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Dublin |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Galway |
1 |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Kerry |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Kildare |
— |
1 |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
Kilkenny |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Laois |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Leitrim |
— |
1 |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
Limerick |
— |
1 |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
Longford |
— |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Louth |
1 |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Mayo |
— |
4 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Meath |
— |
1 |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
Monaghan |
— |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Offaly |
— |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Roscommon |
— |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
1 |
Sligo |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Tipperary |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Waterford |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Westmeath |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Wexford |
— |
1 |
— |
1 |
— |
— |
Wicklow |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Total |
2 |
41 |
— |
6 |
— |
1 |
The total amount expended by the Department under the above headings in each of the years in question is as follows:
Year |
Common outfall watercourses |
Improvement of access farm roadways |
Other Installations |
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
1976 |
2,608 |
— |
— |
1977 |
31,477 |
3,392 |
170 |
Group schemes in disadvantaged areas only are eligible for EEC recoupment. No recoupment has been received to date but a claim in respect of eligible schemes for the period to 31st December, 1977, will be submitted early in 1978.