Pat Cox
Question:65 Mr. Cox asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason for the delay in making payment of promised aid to Donegal potato growers affected by disastrous weather last autumn.
Written Answers. - Donegal Potato Growers.
The Government provided £1 million in this year's budget to aid Donegal potato growers whose crops had been affected by the abnormal weather conditions in autumn 1992. I sought additional EC funding and formal Commission approval of the details of a scheme is expected shortly.
My Department has already advertised the scheme and invited applications by 21 May. Almost 450 applications have been received and these are now being processed. I expect that payments will issue within the next few weeks.