asked the Minister for Agriculture the reason Ireland has been slow in availing of the FEOGA grants for the improvement of processing and marketing; and how Denmark, whose record of aggressively developing food products and markets is enviable, availed of all possible grants and used them as rapidly as possible while Ireland, where processing and marketing lags behind, had only claimed 44.7 per cent of the grants allotted in 1981 by the end of 1983.
Written Answers. - FEOGA Grants.
690.
The number of applications received annually for FEOGA grants for projects relating to improvements in the marketing and processing of agricultural products is generally in excess of the funds allocated to Ireland under the scheme.
The fact that the firms have five years in which to complete the projects is an important factor in the delay in taking up the grants awarded to Irish firms. As regards the take-up of grants awarded in 1981 to firms in Ireland and Denmark, it should be noted that in that year Ireland was awarded grants amounting to £12.2 million in respect of 32 projects, as compared with an allocation to Denmark of £3.1 million in respect of 23 projects. Since the average level of investment per project in 1981 was more than twice as high in Ireland as in Denmark it is understandable that Irish firms take longer than their Danish counterparts to complete projects and claim the grants awarded.
It is the practice to encourage firms to submit their claims as rapidly as possible and the take-up of funds has improved significantly in recent years. However, the final responsibility for claiming the grants awarded rests with the individual firms.