Colm M. Hilliard
Question:79 Mr. Hilliard asked the Minister for Energy the way in which the £500,000 provided for in Vote 43 subhead L2 in the 1991 Book of Estimates (Abridged Version) will be spent.
Written Answers. - Book of Estimates.
Colm M. Hilliard
Question:81 Mr. Hilliard asked the Minister for Energy the way in which the expenditure of £500,000 in the Public Capital Programme, 1991 for the farms electrification grant scheme will be spent.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 79 and 81 together.
The Government decided in July 1990 to introduce the State/ESB funded farm electrification grants scheme to replace the EC funded western package electrification scheme which had been terminated. The new scheme, which covers areas designated as disadvantaged, provides 80 per cent grant aid towards the capital cost of installing new electricity supply, or increased supply where existing supply is inadequate, to farms on which agriculture is the applicant's main occupation. Twenty per cent of the cost is met by the beneficiary, 20 per cent by the State and 60 per cent by the ESB.
Five hundred thousand pounds represent the estimated cost of the State's contribution to the scheme in 1991.
Colm M. Hilliard
Question:80 Mr. Hilliard asked the Minister for Energy the reason for the increase in Vote 44 subhead D of the 1991 Book of Estimates for Public Services (Abridged Version); and the way in which the £11.5 million is estimated.
The increase in subhead D of the Forestry Vote in 1991 is to provide for expected increased levels of afforestation by the private sector and to meet our commitments under the EC Forestry Operational Programme 1989-93 announced last August. This programme provides for the payment of new and improved grants for afforestation, improvement of woodlands, reconstitution of woodlands, forest roads, investment in forest harvesting machinery, forestry back-up measures, e.g. studies and pilot projects and aid to associations of persons exploiting woodland.