Vol. 408 No. 9
33 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline the details of the small aid community enterprise element of the EC Commission's operational programme for rural development; if he will further outline the period over which the £7.5 million will become available; the criteria which will be used for the selection of approved enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
64 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline his proposals for the expenditure of £8 million referred to in the EC operational programme for rural development; if he will further outline the criteria to be used in such expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose taking Questions Nos. 33 and 64 together. The operational Programme for Rural Development runs for the period 1991 to 1993.
The small and community enterprise element of the operational programme is designed to provide aid for worthwhile ideas and projects which would not otherwise qualify for grant assistance.
The purpose of the measure will be to foster enterprise by providing aid for capital investment and technical assistance for small local projects and businesses.
The intention is to administer the funds through the national structure, to which the Government are committed, for promoting bottom-up local rural development. I will shortly be putting proposals to the Government for the appropriate structures in this regard, based on the very positive experience of the pilot rural development programme which I initiated in 1988.
