Vol. 498 No. 5
122 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the proposals, if any, he has to redress apparent discrimination against young farmers in County Waterford in relation to the scheme of installation aid (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27958/98]
The new national scheme of installation aid, which will be open for applications within the next two weeks, will enable qualifying applicants who set up as full time farmers on or after 1 January 1995 to avail of the aid. This will include the majority of those farmers whose applications were not received in my Department before the suspension of the existing scheme on 7 August 1997. In the light of the response to the new measure my Department will assess the situation of any remaining farmers affected by the closing of the earlier scheme.
125 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the details of the proposed new scheme of farm installation grants. [28049/98]
A new national scheme of installation aid, which will be focused on those farmers most in need of assistance, has been drawn up in line with the previous scheme of installation aid except that an upper limit of three man work units will apply to the farm enterprises taken over by the young farmer. The scheme will be open to qualified applicants set up as full-time farmers on or after 1 January 1995. I expect that application forms, along with full details of the new scheme will be available in the local offices of my Department within the next two weeks.
