asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason an application under the rescue package for a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary was accepted and the appropriate interest relief granted, when the Department have now changed their view and say that this person was ineligible and will have to repay the interest allowed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Farmers' Reduced Interest Scheme.
29.
The reduced interest scheme for farmers in severe financial difficulty was administered by the Associated Banks and the ACC, who also had responsibility for assessing the eligibility of individual applicants. The scheme is subject to audit by my Department and no State contribution is payable to the lending institutions in respect of cases found to have been improperly admitted into the scheme. Eligibility for the scheme was confined to farmers in severe financial difficulty who drew up a financial reconstruction plan showing a return to viability by the end of the scheme.
For the person mentioned, the financial reconstruction plan did not show that he was in severe financial difficulty. Accordingly, the refund to the lending agencies concerned of the State contribution to the cost of the interest rebate granted to him was refused by my Department. The question of a refund by the individual concerned of the benefit received by him is entirely a matter for the lending institutions involved.