asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if there are grants available through any existing schemes for the erection of an indoor equestrian facility.
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
28.
While there is no grant aid available under any existing schemes administered by my Department for the erection of equestrian facilities, export-orientated equestrian projects may, under certain conditions, be eligible for assistance from agencies such as the IDA or SFADCo. In addition, such projects may be eligible for grant assistance from the EC under the terms of Regulation 355/77.
Under EC Regulation 355/77 the EC Commission provides grant aid for capital investment projects involving the processing and marketing of agricultural products. A horse marketing centre could qualify under this scheme. The grant rate could be as high as 50 per cent of eligible expenditure in the disadvantaged areas of the west of Ireland or 25 per cent elsewhere.
To be eligible for EC aid a project must be approved for grant aid by the Department or a grant aiding authority. While this Department has no specific funds available for the purpose and grant agencies such as IDA and SFADCo normally direct their support towards manufacturing industry, we have set up an informal working group to draw up some guidelines for equestrian centres and to examine the provision of national aid.