Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 3 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 3

Written Answers - Organic Farming.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

99 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the direct financial support which has been given to State and non-State organisations which promote organic farming in the past three years. [12626/01]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

In the past three years £112,131 has been spent by Bord Bia, Bord Glas and the Western Development Commission on the promotion of organic farming. It has not been possible in the time available to confirm the amount spent by Teagasc and my officials will communicate that information to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Under my Department's Operational Programme for Agriculture, Rural Development and Forestry 1994-1999, grant assistance was also provided to the following organisations involved in the promotion of organic farming:

	1998	1999
Irish Organic Farmers' and Growers' Association, Kilbeggan, County Westmeath.	£6,477	£924
Organic Trust Ltd, Clontarf, Dublin 3	£2,323	£812
Demeter Standards Ltd., Thomastown, County Kilkenny.	Nil	£1,890
Shannon Development, County Clare.	£5,285	Nil
Agricultural College, Mountbellew, County Galway.	£3,101	Nil
The Organic Centre, Rossinver, CountyLeitrim.	£494	Nil

The operational programme came to an end in December 1999 and, accordingly, there was no provision for such grants to be made in 2000.

In addition my Department made the following payments to the three organic farming bodies towards the cost of inspecting operators in the organic crop sector in accordance with the provisions of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91:

	1998	1999	2000
Irish Organic Farmers' and Growers' Association.	£8,934	£7,544	£14,821
Organic Trust Limited	£17,435	£13,756	£15,975
Demeter Standards Limited	£1,453	£2,485	£2,219