Vol. 476 No. 6
136 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the grant aid his Department has paid towards capital investment and towards the set-up cost of deer producer groups in the deer industry for each of the years from 1985 to 1996. [7871/97]
Between 1991 and 1996, £2.5 million has been paid to deer farmers under the alternative enterprise scheme, which assists farmers to develop housing and handling facilities for deer together with the purchase of female breeding stock. Applications on hand are being processed for payment. This scheme was closed for new applications with effect from 4 October 1996.
The Operational Programme for Agriculture, Food and Forestry 1994-99 included a measure to extend the producer group scheme which operates under Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1360/78 to cover live farmed deer. No formal application has been received under this scheme to date.
