Vol. 450 No. 6
181 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason 775 gallons allocated to a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan by his Department means that this person is five gallons above the limit allowed for the higher rate of grant towards the building and improving of his dairy facilities. [5642/95]
The rate of aid payable under the scheme of investment aid for upgrading of on-farm dairying facilities is related to the quota size of participants and priority under the scheme is given to smaller producers. For farmers with quotas up to 15,000 gallons the rate of aid is 60 per cent, for those in the 15,001 to 30,000 gallon bracket and for those in the 30,001 to 40,000 gallon range it is 40 per cent and 25 per cent respectively. Farmers with quotas of more than 40,000 gallons are not eligible.
Inevitably, there will be producers who, under such a mechanism, marginally fall outside a particular category.
The producer to whom the Deputy refers is in a category to which the 40 per cent grant rate applies. Having regard to the size of this quota and to the general need to ensure that adequate funding is available to smaller producers, this level of grant is considered reasonable.
