Vol. 485 No. 4
15 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his Department will recognise the invaluable work done by the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in particular, as well as other animal welfare organisations; and if he will ensure that a proper annual subvention is paid to these organisations involved in caring for neglected animals. [19548/97]
57 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will provide an annual subvention (details supplied) to the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to enable this organisation to continue its essential work for the welfare of animals. [19549/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 57 together.
I am aware of the very valuable work which the DSPCA carried out for the welfare of animals generally in the Dublin area. I also recognise the good work being done by other animal welfare organisations around the country.
16 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the funds, if any, his Department or agencies under its aegis are receiving from the Community Support Framework of the EU; and, if so, the steps, if any, he is taking to ensure that the private sector are allowed to participate in tendering for grants under the operational programme on the basis of criteria set down in advance as agreed as part of the mid-term review of the Community Support Framework. [22665/97]
As I already indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 137 of 16 December 1997, funds allocated to my Department under the Community Support Framework are as follows: the Operational Programme for Agriculture, Rural Develoment and Forestry (OPARDF), 1,557 mecu; the Food SupProgramme of the Operational Programme for Industrial Development, 313 mecu. As a rough guide, the above sums translate into indicative amounts of £1,152 million and £232 million respectively.
Grants under the Operational Programme for Agricultural Rural Development and Forestry relate mainly to farmers who must follow certain specific criteria if they wish to participate in the various schemes available. Tendering processes have arisen under the operational programme in relation to the evaluations of the headage scheme, the mid-term evaluation and more recently the evaluation of forestry training. In regard to the latter evaluation, the terms of reference included an examination of the possibility of involvement of the private sector in this area.
My Department also has responsibility for the food sub-programme of the Operational Programme for Industrial Development. In the main, the food sub-programme comprises a number of schemes under which grants are awarded to individual companies or institutions. While obviously this does not entail a tendering process, in the normally accepted sense of that term, all awards are made on the basis of compliance with the eligibility criteria laid down for the various schemes and a competitive assessment and selection process.
