Vol. 482 No. 8
63 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will change the criteria for qualification for the Leader programme to allow operators of mobile enterprises such as holiday caravans and specialised machinery to qualify for grant aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19350/97]
Motor vehicles and mobile equipment are excluded for funding under the Leader programme on the basis that such investments (a) are not normally eligible for aid under publicly funded schemes, (b) have multi-purpose uses which may not be related to the project being aided and (c) are easily disposed of outside of the project and the area in which aid may be offered.
For these reasons I do not propose to amend the rules under which Leader groups operate to allow motor vehicles or mobile equipment to be grant aided. As holiday caravans are considered to be mobile equipment they are ineligible for aid under Leader. However, specialised machinery linked to a wider development project may qualify for aid and my Department is prepared to examine requests for funding from Leader groups on a case by case basis.
