Vol. 571 No. 1
331 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if any changes are planned in the farmyard pollution structures and dairy hygiene, especially for young qualified farmers; if so, what those changes will mean and when they will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21265/03]
The changes arising from the Sustaining Progress agreement to the schemes require EU Commission approval prior to implementation. My Department has already written to the EU Commission signalling the changes it proposes to make and indicating the Department's desire to implement these as soon as possible.
These schemes form part of the regional operational programmes of the national development plan. The monitoring committees of these programmes will consider these proposed changes to the schemes at their meetings in October. Formal Commission consideration of the changes will follow the committees' examinations.
As far as young qualified farmers are concerned, the recent CAP reform agreement also provides for the possibility of further increases in the rates of aid already available to such farmers under investment schemes such as the dairy hygiene scheme and the farm waste management scheme.
