Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 22 Jun 1993

Vol. 432 No. 6

Written Answers. - Farm Installation Aid Scheme.

Paul Bradford

Question:

159 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when the farm installation aid scheme was formally introduced by his Department; the earliest date which it could have been introduced if his Department had brought the scheme into operation as soon as the EC devised such a scheme; if he will give an estimate of the number of farmers who have lost out on a grant due to having their Deeds of Transfer stamped in the period between the EC start-up of the scheme and its formal introduction in this country; and if he will consider at this stage the possibility of making a retrospective grant available to these farmers on the provision that they would have had all the necessary qualifications for the scheme at the time of their land transfer.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. J. Walsh)

The scheme of installation aid for young farmers was introduced under Regulation 797/85 of 12 March, 1985. The Regulation came into effect on 1 April, 1985. The Regulation enabled member states to introduce various schemes, many of which were optional, subject to consultation with the Commission and the approval of the EC Standing Committee on Agricultural Structures in regard to technical and financial matters.

My Department consulted widely on the introduction of the Regulation and in February, 1986 introduced the Farm Improvement Programme (FIP) which gave effect to the first part of the Regulation. The scheme of installation aid, which was an optional scheme under the Regulation was approved by the EC in July, 1986 and with EC Commission Agreement had its operative date set at 4 February, 1986 to coincide with the launch of the FIP. It is not possible to accommodate situations under the scheme where the Deed of Transfer was signed before that date.

Under the scheme the date of installation is the date on which the Deed of Transfer is signed by all parties not the date of stamping. It is not possible to calculate how may applicants, with the appropriate labour requirement and education, may have been effected by the commencement date of the scheme.