Vol. 307 No. 13
asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of agricultural workers who became redundant in each year since 1973, arising from the release of land due to retiring farmers under EEC Directive 159/72; and the amount of compensation payable to such workers over and above the minimum provisions in the Redundancy Payments Acts.
163.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of persons in agriculture, or leaving agriculture, who benefited from EEC grants in aid of improved structures or Farm Retirement Schemes, in each year since 1973, indicating in general terms the scope of Farm Retirement Schemes applicable to (a) farmers and (b) farm employees; and the number of (i) farmers and (ii) farm employees who benefited from these schemes.
166.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of farmers who have retired under the Land Commission retirement scheme for farmers; the number of agricultural workers who were retired from agriculture as a result of that scheme; and the money benefits in the scheme applicable to (i) farmers and (ii) farm workers.
: With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 162, 163 and 166 together.
EEC aid under Directives 72/159 and 72/160 takes the form of a contribution towards the national expenditure incurred under the farm modernisation scheme and farmers' retirement scheme.
The number of beneficiaries under these schemes which commenced in 1974 are as follows:
Farm Modernisation Scheme (Cases subventable by EEC).
|
Development Farmers |
Grants for keeping farm accounts |
Aid for fodder Production in disadvantaged areas |
|
|
1974 |
— |
— |
— |
|
1975 |
1,019 |
230 |
— |
|
1976 |
3,007 |
2,106 |
— |
|
1977 |
4,425 |
5,038 |
2,140 groups |
Farmers' Retirement Scheme.
|
Number of farmers who retired |
|
|
1974 |
3 |
|
1975 |
110 |
|
1976 |
131 |
|
1977 |
127 |
The farmers' retirement scheme applies generally to farmers whose main occupation is farming and whose holding do not exceed 45 adjusted acres. It does not apply to farm employees. The financial benefits of the scheme are: (a) a premium of 10 per cent of the purchase price (subject to a maximum of £1,500) or twice the annual lease rent (subject to a maximum of £3,000) payable to all beneficiaries plus (b) in the case of beneficiaries who are 55 years of age or over a life annuity of £918 for a married person or £606 for a single person. If a married recipient dies, the surviving spouse receives a life annuity of £606.
Information as to the number of or compensation payable to any agricultural workers who may have become redundant as a result of the retirement scheme is not available in my Department.
164.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of (a) farmers and (b) farm workers, participating in the scheme of vocational training under EEC Directive 161; and the approximate cost of this scheme for (a) farmers and (b) farm workers.
: The total number of farmers and farm workers, including family workers, participating in the scheme of vocational training under EEC Directive 161 in 1977 was 1,200. The cost of training these persons was £280,346. Separate statistics are not collected for (a) farmers and (b) farm workers trained under the scheme.
165.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if it is intended to enable agricultural workers participating in the scheme of vocational training under EEC Directive 161 to qualify for the benefits of the Farm Apprenticeship Scheme by suitable modifications in the directive scheme.
: As farm apprenticeship training has been ruled by the EEC authorities as forming part of "the normal agricultural courses of study organised as part of secondary or higher education schemes" which are excluded from the scope of the directive under Article 5 (1), it is not intended to modify the directive scheme as suggested by the Deputy.
167.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of applicants classified under the Farm Modernisation Scheme in County Mayo, and a breakdown of each classification; the number of applicants listed for classification; the average waiting period for classification; and if he believes that the situation regarding this is satisfactory at present.
: Following are the particulars requested as at 31 March 1978:
Number of applicants
|
(i) Classified as: |
|
|
Development |
136 |
|
Commercial |
7 |
|
Other |
5511 |
|
(ii) Awaiting |
|
|
classification |
756 |
I understand that, in some cases, the waiting period has been close to six months.
With an improvement in staffing arrangements for the administration of the scheme combined with a downward trend in the level of applications, I am hoping for a considerable reduction in the waiting period. I am arranging to keep the situation under review.
