(South Tipperary) asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries what travel grants are available from his Department for groups travelling abroad for study of sales promotion; how such grants are paid; what are the conditions as to availability; and where forms of application may be obtained.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Travel Grants.
24.
My Department operate a Technical Assistance Scheme under which, subject to the availability of funds from the amount provided for the purpose by Dáil Éireann in any financial year, applications are considered from eligible concerns for technical assistance grants of up to one half of the cost of study visits abroad for certain purposes. The scheme is open to:
(a) industries or firms engaged in the processing of agricultural commodities or fish or in activities closely related to the production, processing or distribution of agricultural commodities or fish and
(b) trade organisations of such industries.
Grants are made in respect of visits abroad by representatives of the management—or of management and labour jointly—of eligible firms and industries to study aspects of industrial organisation where the cost to the sponsor of the visit is not less than £20 per representative. The scheme does not provide for grants for sales promotion.
Apart from the Scheme of Technical Assistance Grants for agricultural industries, my Department are also prepared to consider the provision of grants for visits abroad for purposes of study or technical training by representatives of organisations closely associated with agriculture or fisheries, applications being considered on the particular merits of each case.
A grant under the Department's Technical Assistance Scheme is not normally paid until the visit abroad has been completed and necessary vouchers furnished to my Department together with a short report on the visit.
Application for grants must be made to my Department and approval obtained before the visit abroad takes place. Each application must include particulars of the duration, estimated cost and benefit expected to accrue from the proposed visit. There is no specific application form.