asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if farmers are eligible for the same grants as grain merchants for the purchase of equipment in respect of the cleaning and the dressing of seed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers (Resumed). - Seed Cleaning Equipment Grants.
40.
Under the farm modernisation scheme farmers are eligible for grants ranging from 20 per cent to 30 per cent of the cost of the purchase of equipment for the cleaning and dressing of seed. Grants are not at present being made available to grain merchants for this purpose.
It is jolly fine to say that grants——
Will the Deputy put a question?
Is the Minister aware that the Department are not dealing with any of these grant applications?
I am not so aware. I have told all farmers to send their applications to the Department where they would be dealt with.
What about all the applications that are with the 24 county committees of agriculture which have not been sent on to the Department?
On numerous occasions I have asked farmers to send their applications to us.
The CAOs are not releasing their applications.
They can fill in new ones.