asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food, in view of the fact that the £7 million grant aid for rationalisation was conditional on achieving increased throughput figures in terms of monthly kill, if he will give the combined kill of the companies which constitute Irish Country Bacon before rationalisation; and the figure of the kill at present.
Written Answers. - Grant Aid for Rationalisation.
63.
The figure of £7 million represents the total cost of the proposed investment by Irish Country Bacon in a restructuring of its processing facilities. The grant aid involved in this investment is not conditional on the company achieving increased kill figures. The justification for supporting the project is threefold — an increase in added value products, increased exports and the fact that the project forms a key part of the Government's rationalisation and modernisation programme.
This company's kill rate is well in excess of the minimum figure of 6,000 pigs per week envisaged for the central slaughtering plants covered by the Government's programme.