Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 May 2006
49 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the grant aid which will be made available to small farmers to manage rainwater under the nitrates action plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18812/06]
View answer71 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when she will increase the costings for grants under the farm building programme; if she has an agreement with farmers through partnership that costings would be reviewed and adjusted on a regular basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18554/06]
View answer79 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she is satisfied regarding the allocation of funding available to meet the farm waste management grant scheme. [18782/06]
View answer100 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the average rise in the cost of steel over the past five years; if her attention has been drawn to the impact which this is having on the cost of construction of farm buildings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18763/06]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 71, 79 and 100 together.
Following receipt of the required EU approval, the revised Farm Waste Management Scheme was launched by my Department on 24 March 2006. The principal changes to the Scheme include — (a) an increase in the standard grant-rate from 40% to 60%, with 70% being available in the four Zone C counties; (b) an extension of the Scheme for the first time to sectors such as horses, deer, goats, pigs and poultry, and mushroom compost; (c) the removal of any minimum income requirements from farming from the Scheme so that all small farmers can participate in the Scheme; and (d) an increase in the maximum eligible investment from €75,000 to €120,000 per holding.
As far as funding is concerned, a sum of €43 million is available in this year's estimates for the Scheme and I am satisfied that sufficient funding will be made available for the duration of the Scheme to finance the likely demand. The Standard Costings for the Scheme are currently under review. Pending the outcome of that review, my Department's current Standard Costings are being used. Detailed figures in regard to the average rise in the cost of steel over the previous five years, this being only one of the components taken into account when revising the Standard Costings, will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
As regards rainwater, the technical specifications for farm buildings operated by my Department for the purposes of the Scheme require the installation of adequate arrangements for the separation of clean and dirty water as part of the conditions of any new investment. In addition, I have added the installation of guttering on existing buildings as a further new eligible item in the terms of the revised Scheme.
