Vol. 452 No. 8
42 Mr. M. Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry in view of his promise to publish new installation aid scheme guidelines before Easter 1995, the current status regarding the scheme and when the revisions will be implemented. [8811/95]
56 Mr. Cowen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the steps, if any, he is taking to assist applicants for installation aid whose title must be proved in view of current delays in registering land and in processing Land Commission schedule numbers, some of which are there for two years and more; and if he will confirm that since the redeployment of staff in the Land Commission, this work is at a standstill. [8788/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 56 together. The revised installation aid scheme document and the operational guidelines for applicants have now been circulated to all farm development service offices of my Department. Copies have also been sent to Teagasc who are making arrangements to circulate them to all Teagasc Offices.
The operational date of the scheme is to be 1 January 1994, the date from which the retirement scheme operated.
As part of the review of the scheme carried out by my Department the question of delays in the registration of title was examined. I have been advised by the chief state solicitor that where lands are transferred to the young farmer it is necessary that the title be registered in Land Registry before the premium can be paid.
However in cases where land is allocated by the Land Commission the matter of vesting of such lands is being addressd by the Land Commission on an ongoing basis and steady progress is being made. Delays have been caused by the necessity to transfer Land Commission staff to arable aid work to which is was necessary to give priority. I expect, however, that the staff in question will be reassigned to Land Commission work in the next few months.
Schedule numbers are allocated by the Land Registry when the vesting documents are lodged with that office. These numbers are accepted by my Department as proof of ownership and the delay in registration of title in these cases is not a cause of delay in the payment of the premium.
