asked the Minister for Agriculture if applications to ACOT for the approval of a farm plan to proceed with work under the farm modernisation scheme will be processed; and if approvals will be issued to the applicants.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Farm Modernisation Scheme.
1.
Applications to ACOT to participate in the farm modernisation scheme may be processed in the normal way. However, for the duration of the suspension, announced in the budget, of grant aid for farm buildings and fixed assets grants will not be made available for such items. Accordingly, grant approvals for these items will not be issued by my Department's farm development service.
What is the point of proceeding with the processing of farm plans in view of the fact the Minister has just said that grant aid will not be available for such plans? Is he not simply leading farmers astray by processing their farm plans and indicating his agreement to their proceeding with work when he has discontinued the grant scheme for such work?
It is a help for the farmer to be categorised and the scheme still applies to land reclamation. It can serve a purpose for that.
(Limerick West): In view of the suspension of the scheme and the uncertainty about the date of its return can the Minister tell the House whether the staff who were engaged on this scheme are fully occupied?
I have raised that question within the Department and my information is that they are fully occupied on a whole series of other schemes which have come into being in the past couple of years.
Will the Minister ensure that farm plans which were prepared and have been approved will not be discriminated against because they were implemented prior to the introduction of the new scheme which he promises to bring in in the Autumn?
I think the Deputy can take that for granted.
Mr. Leonard
Can the Minister tell us the schemes on which they are working at present? The western package has been restricted so much that there are very few qualifying under that.
Primarily the headage schemes which involve an enormous amount of work.
Will the Minister consider paying grant-aid to those people to whom his Department's officials had given oral approval prior to the date of the suspension of the farm modernisation scheme? The farmers, who kept their side of the bargain, are now being denied their rights.
The Deputy can be assured that that aspect of the application of the scheme, when introduced, is being considered.
(Limerick West): Will the applications that were not dealt with at the time of suspension of the scheme be considered when the scheme is reintroduced?
That is much the same question as that asked by Deputy Byrne. As I said that matter will be given every consideration. It is a cause of concern.
Is it intended that the Minister will pay these grants?
It is being considered.
When does the Minister hope to make a decision?
We will be announcing the scheme in the late autumn.
Question No. 2.
Are we to understand that the Minister does not intend to pay these people who through no fault of their own have been denied——
That question has been asked about 40 times in the last couple of days.
Deputies
It has never been answered.
The matter is being considered.
Can the Minister tell the House whether farmers who got written approval from the farm development service for various farm plans which were subject to planning permission being sought and got and in the interim period the grants were suspended are being deprived of their grants after they have got planning permission? Can he give us an assurance that these farmers will get their grants?
I am not giving any assurances here today on that aspect, but I certainly am very concerned about those people and their applications will be given every consideration.
So there is no guarantee they will be paid their grants?
No, I am not in the business of giving guarantees.