Vol. 492 No. 1
96 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the meetings, if any, he or his Department officials had with any public representatives to discuss the applications for compensation under the 1997 weather related crop losses scheme for the farmers of north Mayo; if so, the individuals he met; and the outcome of the meetings in this regard. [13617/98]
Arising from the request by a Deputy of this House details supplied for a meeting and who made representations to me on behalf of farmers in County Mayo who had applied under the scheme for assistance for weather related crop losses 1997 for category F losses and whose applications had been rejected, I and an official of my Department met the Deputy.
I have requested officials of my Department to re-examine all those cases where significant hardship is demonstrated and where the applications meet the general criteria of the scheme.
While I do not propose to change the conditions of the scheme, my Department is currently reassessing all category F losses, especially those relating to fodder for County Mayo and the other areas involved.
97 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason the farmers of north Mayo who suffered financial losses during the flash flooding in 1997 were excluded from getting compensation under the 1997 weather related crop losses scheme. [13618/98]
The purpose of the scheme of assistance for weather related crop losses (1997) is to provide aid to farmers growing arable crops, potatoes, horticultural crops and grass seed in the small number of very exceptional cases where weather related crop losses in 1997 have seriously threatened the viability of the farm and there was no other significant source of income for the farmer other than the crops which were the subject of the weather losses. For that reason the eligibility conditions for aid under the scheme were precise. These conditions were outlined in the scheme which was published last November.
All applications under this scheme were examined in relation to both the general conditions of the scheme and the detailed conditions that apply for the crop category for which the application was made. Applicants who did not meet either the general or detailed qualifying conditions of the scheme were rejected and were advised accordingly.
