asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will make available to Deputies in concise form decisions by the EEC which affect the farming industry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Farming Aids.
9.
Decisions of the EEC Council of Agricultural Ministers, where they significantly affect the Irish farming industry, have normally been brought to the notice of the House by means of replies to Questions, or when the Dail has not been in session have been publicised in press releases issued by my Department. In addition, information on such decisions is given in the half-yearly White Paper on Developments in the European Communities.
If, however, there are any specific decisions on which the Deputy would wish to have more detailed information, I shall be glad to arrange to have it supplied to him.
The reply given by the Parliamentary Secretary to a similar question a fortnight ago was contradicted by the Minister last week.
The Deputy must not engage in an argument.
While it does not arise on this question the answer I gave at the time was factual. So also was the answer given by the Minister last week. The conditions however, had changed in the interim period.
Was it a change of policy?
It was not a change of policy. It resulted from a change in EEC policy.
I should like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary, and the Department of Agriculture, to show in greater detail what aids are available and how those anxious to avail of them may seek them. Through what agency should such people make their applications? The farming community should be given guidance as to what is available through Brussels. I understand that it is much greater than we have been given to understand publicly in the past.
A number of Departments will be issuing statements on the subject matter raised in the question. It is not necessarily confined to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. Half-yearly reports are available and a White Paper is published half-yearly. The Minister for Foreign Affairs outlined proposals in the Seanad on the 20th June. I should like to inform the Deputy that all documentation, and official publications, are available in the Library of this House.
It is the intention of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to keep people informed of fluctuations or changes in any trends as far as that Department is concerned. Changes arise so frequently that it may be difficult to issue statements daily.
It seems that there is a lack of communication in regard to his Department, and perhaps others. All I am asking is that, apart from circulating White Papers and statements by various Ministers, information concerning the substantial financial aid available to the farming community should be communicated to farmers. I understand quite an amount has been missed already.
Deputy Cunningham asked if the Minister would make available in concise form the decisions of the EEC affecting the farm industry. The Parliamentary Secretary has not replied to that question.
The Chair has no control over the replies given by Ministers or Parliamentary Secretaries.
The Parliamentary Secretary has not told us if the Minister would make the decisions available.
We cannot debate this question all afternoon.
I have indicated the position in my answer.
The Parliamentary Secretary has spoken about a White Paper. Will he make it available to Deputies in a concise form?
The White Paper is issued half-yearly and it brings everybody up-to-date about these matters.
It is no use issuing a half-yearly White Paper and the Parliamentary Secretary should know this.
In addition, any information on these matters is given to interested parties by the Department at any time.
That is not so; such information is not given at any time. Deputy Cunningham has asked that the information be made available in concise form but the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries will not do this.
I am calling Question No. 10.
This information is supplied on as reasonable a basis as is possible. What the Deputy wants to get is a kind of daily report.
We want a more frequent report. We are entitled to that information.
I can assure the Deputy that the Minister, the Department and myself are anxious to make any information available.
The Chair is anxious to make some progress on questions.
The Parliamentary Secretary is not doing very much in providing the information. He is holding on to it pretty well.
10.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will indicate in respect of the less-favoured farming areas of the Republic of Ireland the aids that will be available from the EEC and the farming activities for which they will be available.
11.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in accordance with the decision on the resolution by the Council of the European Communities to aid farming in certain less-favoured areas, he has on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Ireland submitted to the Commission a list of the areas in which they propose to apply this special aid system; and if he will indicate the specific areas named in the list.
With your permission, Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Question Nos. 10 and 11 together.
The resolution relating to aids for farming in less favoured areas which was adopted by the Council of the EEC on 1st May, 1973, will fall to be implemented by a directive to be adopted before 1st October. This directive will lay down criteria to be used for defining the areas which will qualify for special aids as well as the nature and level of the aids and the activities to which they can be applied. Until the terms of the directive are finally settled, therefore, it will not be possible to draw up a list of the areas which might be eligible for these aids.
12.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in view of the need to encourage greater investment in agriculture, he will consider making loans available to farmers at a subsidised rate of interest.
My Department do, in fact, subsidise loans made to farmers by the banks and the Agricultural Credit Corporation. These loans, up to a maximum of £1,000, are available to small and medium-sized farmers with gross margins not exceeding £1,500 to enable them to increase their breeding herds. The interest subsidy is 4 per cent per annum. Under the scheme about £3.5 million has been advanced to some 5,000 farmers since its introduction in June, 1972.
As the Deputy is aware, under various schemes operated by the Department substantial grants are provided towards the cost of agricultural investment.
Under the EEC farm modernisation scheme, expected to come into operation early next year, investment aids equivalent to an interest rebate of 5 per cent will be provided for developing farms complying with certain conditions.
Is it contemplated improving in any way the conditions for loans which the Parliamentary Secretary has enumerated? These conditions have been in existence for quite a long while.
The position is that under the EEC farm modernisation scheme the loans will not come into operation until 1st October, 1973. In fact, while there is agreement in principle the regulations have not yet been finalised. The Minister is watching the position carefully to ensure that when the regulations are drawn up they will be as favourable as possible so far as we are concerned.
We are not asking the Minister to watch the position as carefully as possible; we are asking him if he is going to improve the loan conditions that exist now pending the final acceptance of EEC arrangements.
The loan conditions that exist at present should suffice between now and the end of September. I could not give any assurance on the point raised by the Deputy.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that because of our entry into the EEC and the tremendous prospects for agriculture, greater investment is an urgent necessity? At the moment farmers have to pay a very high interest rate and I would ask the Parliamentary Secretary to ensure that something is done immediately to remedy this situation.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the limit set for these loans is not realistic? Would the Parliamentary Secretary consider increasing the limit?
In reply to the question raised by Deputy Fahey, advances by the ACC increased from £13.5 million in 1971-72 to £24 million in 1972-73 and these advances are expected to reach at least £35 million in 1973-74. Additional moneys are being provided for investment, about which the Deputy is so anxious.
In future, under the EEC programmes and policies, will not the situation be that the main aid to farmers will be in the form of cheap and readily available credit rather than any other kind of assistance? In that situation, will the Parliamentary Secretary tell us what steps he has in hand at the moment, either in regard to the credit machinery or towards enabling farmers throughout the country to prepare the development plans on which credit will be made available.
I am sure the Deputy is aware that, since the change of Government, the Minister and myself have referred on several occasions to such matters. We are satisfied that people are preparing for and that farmers are taking cognisance of the situation that is likely to arise as we move closer to the EEC. I am satisfied with the progress to date. So far as concerns the schemes the Deputy has in mind, some of them will be dealt with in a later question. We are taking note of such schemes and the Minister will advise the agricultural sector from time to time of their rights and the effects of any changes that are likely to arise because of new conditions.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that now is the time to start preparing, in particular for the farm development plans on which credit will be made available? Can he tell us of one concrete, positive step that has been taken to help farmers prepare these plans?
The Minister started work on this scheme on 15th March, 1973. He could not do much about it before then. If I were to outline all that has been done in this area it would take a long time.
We cannot enlarge on this question. I have given considerable latitude already.
Is that the Parliamentary Secretary's full reply?
If the Deputy has any specific matter in mind perhaps he would put down another question.
I am calling Question No. 13.
The Parliamentary Secretary has not given any information.
We will be told we can get this information in the Library.
There was very little one could find in the Library in relation to agricultural matters after the previous Government.
Order. I am calling Question No. 13.