Grant Aid

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 July 2012

Tuesday, 17 July 2012

Questions (625)

Michael Creed

Question:

639 Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the current situation regarding the grants for dairy equipment including the number of applicants, the number of applications received and the number of successful applicants who will be offered grant aid; the criteria used to select successful applicants including details of the scoring system used on applications; the current situation regarding an application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34382/12]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Deputy Simon Coveney)

A total of 2,275 applications have been received under the Dairy Equipment Scheme since its introduction. Applications are examined and grants are approved on a phased basis up to the limit of funding available under various ‘tranches'. To date, approximately 1,000 applications have been selected to proceed to the approval stage. A further selection will take place shortly as a result of my recent decision to transfer funding to this Scheme from the Rainwater Harvesting Scheme. The criteria used to select successful applications are set out in the provisions of the Scheme. The provisions of the Scheme and the marking sheet used for the purposes of the selection process are both available on my Department's website.

Insofar as the person named is concerned, his application for grant-aid under the Scheme has not yet been chosen to proceed to the approval stage and it will, therefore, be included in the next selection process resulting from the transfer of funds mentioned above.