An amount of 5 million ECU to finance measures aimed at improving the quality of milk was secured by Ireland in the context of the 1991-92 prices negotiations. Implementation of the grant scheme for on-farm milk cooling equipment funded from this source is contracted to ICOS and as a result individual applications and payments are not handled by my Department.
The September 1992 quarterly report from ICOS to my Department indicates that a total of 1,460 applications have been received since the commencement of the scheme; all of these have been paid a 60 per cent instalment of the grant allowable.
I decided in September 1992 to improve the grants available under the scheme; these improvements will apply retrospectively to the 1,460 applications referred to above.
I have also secured the agreement of the EC Commission to a further 5 million ECU funding for measures for the improvement of milk quality in 1993-94.