Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Jul 1996

Vol. 468 No. 4

Written Answers. - Potato Industry Funding.

Seamus Kirk

Question:

872 Mr. Kirk asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the amount of grant aid paid from the FEOGA grant scheme to the potato industry for each of the years from 1987 to 1995; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15560/96]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

The figures requested by the Deputy are as follows:

Year	Amount Paid
	(IR£)
1987	277,354.00
1988	577,307.00
1989	621,995.00
1990	512,943.00
1991	852,673.00
1992	482,249.00
1993	794,226.00
1994	537,650.00
1995	737,945.00
Total	5,394,342.00

Of the total amount of £5,394,342, £3,076,847 relates to the provision of grading and storage facilities and £2,317,495 to processing facilities. In addition to the above a number of projects were approved for FEOGA grant-aid amounting to £3,760,101 for which payment claims have yet to be received.

Great strides have been made over the last number of years in improving the quality of marketed Irish potatoes and in providing value added processing facilities. The considerable investment that has taken place in refrigerated capacity, and the provision of modern handling facilities have been instrumental in bringing great improvement and efficiency to the potato industry. The growth in the last few years of the washed potato trade and the high quality of Irish potatoes coming from the new refrigerated stores in spring and early summer are a testament to the investment that has occurred. Much of this investment undoubtedly would not have taken place in the absence of the FEOGA scheme and its related Exchequer investment.