Vol. 405 No. 5
8 Mr. Harte asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the recent recommendations of NESC that Irish agricultural structural policy should give priority to achieving effective land use rather than to maintaining the maximum number of holdings; and if he will outline the policy change he will make to achieve that end.
23 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the recent recommendations of NESC that Irish agricultural structural policy should give priority to achieving effective land use rather than to maintaining the maximum number of holdings; and if he will outline the policy change he will make to achieve that end.
26 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the recent recommendations of NESC that Irish agricultural structural policy should give priority to achieving effective land use rather than to maintaining the maximum number of holdings; and if he will outline the policy change he will make to achieve that end.
29 Mrs. Fennell asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the recent recommendations of NESC that Irish agricultural structural policy should give priority to achieving effective land use rather than to maintaining the maximum number of holdings; and if he will outline the policy change he will make to achieve that end.
31 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the recent recommendations of NESC that Irish agricultural structural policy should give priority to achieving effective land use rather than to maintaining the maximum number of holdings; and if he will outline the policy change he will make to achieve that end.
39 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the recent recommendations of NESC that Irish agricultural structural policy should give priority to achieving effective land use rather than to maintaining the maximum number of holdings; and if he will outline the policy change he will make to achieve that end.
42 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the recent recommendations of NESC that Irish agricultural structural policy should give priority to achieving effective land use rather than to maintaining the maximum number of holdings; and if he will outline the policy change he will make to achieve that end.
50 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the recent recommendations of NESC that Irish agricultural structural policy should give priority to achieving effective land use rather than to maintaining the maximum number of holdings; and if he will outline the policy change he will make to achieve that end.
62 Mr. McGahon asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the recent recommendations of NESC that Irish agricultural structural policy should give priority to achieving effective land use rather than to maintaining the maximum number of holdings; and if he will outline the policy change he will make to achieve that end.
69 Dr. Lee asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the recent recommendations of NESC that Irish agricultural structural policy should give priority to achieving effective land use rather than to maintaining the maximum number of holdings; and if he will outline the policy change he will make to achieve that end.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 23, 26, 29, 31, 39, 42, 50, 62 and 69 together.
The viability of rural areas — which depends on maintaining a sufficient number of holdings — and the need for effective land use are twin aims which must be reconciled in such a way that we will have both a cost-effective farm sector as a basis for our food industry and an adequate number of farm households to keep our rural areas viable.
Family farming will remain critically important for the viability of rural communities but in some areas may not be sufficient in itself to guarantee this viability. These areas will rely increasingly on non-farm, or non-traditional farming, sources for their livelihood with the result that their incomes will be less dependent than now on land area or production volume. As Deputies know, there are many national and Community schemes in operation in support of agriculture, some of which help to increase efficiency and effective land use while others aim at encouraging alternative income sources. The Farm Improvement Programme aims to increase on farm efficiency. In the case of policies aimed at achieving effective land use, it was agreed in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress and given effect in the budget that the operation of the installation aid would be made more flexible; also, the amount of lease income qualifying for income tax exemption was raised from £2,000 to £3,000 to encourage the transfer of land to young farmers.
In the area of encouraging alternative income sources, the Operational Programme for Rural Development is now in operation. This programme fits within the Community Support Framework 1989-1993, which sets out the allocation of the bulk of the enlarged EC Structural Funds which should provide substantial income and employment opportunities in the overall economy and in rural areas. Payments under the disadvantaged areas schemes are funded from the Community Support Framework. In this regard, a recent important development was the decision agreed in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress that the increase and modulation of headage rates originally intended to apply in 1992 will be brought forward to 1991. The full benefit of the revised headage scheme payments in respect of 1991 should, on this basis, be £100 million compared to £67 million previously.
When is it intended to publish the new agri-tourism programme?
As soon as we get the final endorsement from the Commission which will be associated with the publication of their initiative. I am glad to tell the Deputy that this matter will not be delayed very long because we are ready ourselves to launch it. I agree with the Deputy that that programme is a vital component in this whole area.
