asked the Minister for Agriculture when he proposes to carry out his undertakings to abolish what is known as the transitional category of farmers, and provide equal grants for all applicants under the farm modernisation scheme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Farm Modernisation Scheme.
21.
The EEC Commission has recently presented a proposal to change the directive on the modernisation of farms. The proposal will have the effect of allowing member states to pay the higher levels of aid to a wide band of farmers. This proposal is at present being examined by a Council working party in conjunction with other proposed changes in the sociostructural directives.
When appropriate changes are ultimately decided upon by the Council of Ministers I would expect to be in a position to adapt the modernisation scheme so as to ensure that the higher level of aid is available to every farfer who wishes to develop his farm.
This applies to the category of farmers now known as transitional farmers which the Minister promised to abolish.
Yes. What we hope to do is to extend the band of farmers in development category and, as Deputy Clinton will appreciate, as the transitional period in the development area expires, more and more farmers will become commercial farmers in the commercial category.
The position is the Minister promised to abolish this category.
Question No. 22.
In fact, he promised to bring in a special scheme for these small farmers immediately he took office and he was backed up in that by Deputy Callanan, Deputy Hussey and the present Minister for Justice. What has happened? In the last ten months nothing has happened.
Something very relevant has happened. The Commission are now in the final stages of presenting a new arrangement with regard to Directives 159, 160 and 161. They will come up for examination within the next month or so, I would imagine it would be before the next council meeting. That, I may tell the Deputy, is fairly decisive and firm progress. Do not worry——
That was due in July 1977.
Do not worry—we will deliver.
Is it the intention of the Minister that all full-time farmers, irrespective of size, will be in the development categories?
I would hope to reach the stage where that, in fact, would be the situation, the situation where, as Deputy D'Arcy says, people who are actually deriving their livelihood from farming will be treated in the same way and people of small acreages will have access to the same kind of grant assistance as the people who are now in the development category.