Vol. 491 No. 6
134 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo was refused compensation under the 1997 weather related crop losses scheme in view of the fact that he lost approximately 700 bales of hay and as this scheme was introduced for this type of loss. [12884/98]
The scheme of assistance for weather related crop losses in 1997 was targeted at a small number of cereal and other crop growers whose main source of income was from arable crops, potatoes, horticultural crops and grass seed, and whose crop losses arising from the severe weather conditions in 1997 seriously threatened the viability of their farms. Because of the limited funds available only those farmers who had no other significant source of income were eligible for assistance. Fodder crop losses incurred by the person referred to did not come within the primary scope of the scheme and danger to the viability of the holding arising from the losses was not adequately demonstrated.
