Vol. 277 No. 9
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the number of applications processed under the farm modernisation scheme in respect of persons who are classified as (a) small farmers (b) development farmers and (c) commercial farmers; and the total amounts of money so far committed to each category.
41.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the number of applications processed under the farm modernisation scheme in County Limerick in respect of persons who are classified as (a) small farmers (b) development farmers and (c) commercial farmers; and the total amounts of money so far committed to each category.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 41 together.
At 31st December, for the country as a whole, 5,713 applicants were classified, of whom 1,200 were in the development category, 123 in the commercial category and 4,390 in the transitional category.
For County Limerick the corresponding figures were 142 classified, 55 in the development category, three commercial and 84 in the transitional category.
Data on the total financial commitments involved for each category is not available at this stage. This will be collected on a periodic basis as the scheme progresses.
From the figures the Parliamentary Secretary has given, would his reply and the information he has furnished not cause him to worry about the progress made by the farm modernisation scheme, especially in view of the fact——
That would be a separate question. All that was asked for here were statistics.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary worried about the small farmers who cannot benefit at all under the farm modernisation scheme as it stands?
The question asked referred to statistics.
The position of farmers in relation to this scheme was outlined in great detail both by the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries and the Minister for Lands in this House on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week and I would advise the Deputy to read their comments.
Could we convey to the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries and to the Minister for Lands, through the Parliamentary Secretary now replying, that we are not at all happy with what both Ministers have said?
The Deputy must ask a question. Question No. 42.
I am asking a supplementary. Will the Chair allow me to finish that supplementary? I am asking the Parliamentary Secretary, arising out of his last reply, will he convey to both those Ministers that the farming community are not satisfied with the operation of the farm modernisation scheme?
The Deputy is giving information.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary convey that information from this side of the House?
I am satisfied that both Ministers made realistic statements here during the current week and that they gave a factual appraisal of the position.
There was no money for farmers.
Might I ask the Parliamentary Secretary how he could be satisfied if, from what we hear, it would take a farmer with 60 beef cows and 27 milch cows to qualify as a development farmer.
Will Deputies please appreciate that these questions refer to statistics. Question No. 42.
42.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will circulate to the Members of the Oireachtas in tabular form the grants, aids, incentives or other financial inducements that are available under the farm modernisation scheme to (a) commercial farmers (b) development farmers (c) transitional farmers and (d) farmers who are in none of these categories from (i) EEC funds and (ii) national funds.
I have arranged to have a statement on the lines suggested prepared for circulation. This will be distributed very shortly. In fact, it will be distributed this week.
We seem to have got it just now, a document which I presume applies to my question. The Parliamentary Secretary has not got a copy of it, has he?
I have asked the Department to issue copies to all Deputies so that they would be conversant with the information contained therein. My answer was to the effect that a statement on the lines suggested has now been prepared for circulation and, as Deputy Dr. Gibbons has received one, some copies appear to have been sent out today. Therefore Deputies may study it and make comments.
There is damn all in it to study.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that there is inconsistency on the part of agricultural officers investigating the farm modernisation scheme because not any two of them have the same interpretation of it?
That is a different question.
I have answered Deputy Dr. Gibbons.
That is a very important question.
I hope the Pariamentary Secretary gave the Press a copy of it as well.
Under one heading of this document there is mention of "land improvement". Does this cover the land project scheme?
It abolishes the land project scheme.
There is set down what it covers. The Deputy asked me in this question to circulate to the Members of the Oireachtas in a tabular form the grants, aids and incentives. This I have done. That is what I was asked to do in the question. Questions arising from the form must remain over for another day. Next week is not too far away.
I take it, then, we must put down further questions to elucidate the detail of the information given in this?
Yes, if the Deputy thinks it desirable.
It would not take one one minute to read it.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the reasons for the delay in (a) issuing approval certificates under the farm modernisation scheme and (b) making payments in respect of applications which have been approved.
Processing of a backlog of applications which accumulated last year during the period of non-co-operation by the advisory services is still in progress. Approvals of these applications are being issued according as each is processed. Grants in respect of works approved for any applicant are payable on satisfactory completion of the works. Special arrangements are in operation under which approval can be granted to enable eligible applicants to proceed with specific works of an urgent nature.
I have found some people on Valentia Island who have had the work done and who have not yet received approval. I have found more who have had approval and inspection and who have not been paid. This has been going on for a considerable period of time. Would the Parliamentary Secretary investigate it with regard to Valentia and Portmagee?
I certainly shall. If the Deputy has any particular cases in mind and will give me the names, I will furnish him with statements on each such scheme.
44.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will state when a farm modernisation scheme grant will be paid to a person (name supplied) in County Meath, as the work was passed in November, 1974; and the reason for the delay in making payment.
This work, which commenced in June, was processed without prejudice to its grant eligibility in accordance with the special arrangements I made when the instructors were not co-operating in the scheme last year.
The grant will be paid by my Department without delay when a decision on the applicant's eligibility to participate in the scheme is available. The determination of eligibility under the farm modernisation scheme is a function of the county committees of agriculture, and I understand that in the particular case a favourable decision has just been reached by the committee concerned.
May I take it from the Parliamentary Secretary that the cheque will be going out in a matter of a week or so?
I assume so, because a favourable decision has been reached.
45.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the number of applications under the farm modernisation scheme in South Tipperary; the number that have been approved; the number that have not yet been processed; and when the remaining cases will be dealt with.
Up to the most recent date for which figures are available 735 applications had been received. Eligibility to participate in the scheme had been determined in 385 cases. The remaining applications are in the course of being processed. Every effort is being made to fully process outstanding applications as quickly as possible and it is hoped to complete this task within the next two months or so.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary tell me if he is satisfied with that number of applicants from such a good farming area participating in the scheme?
Possibly the Deputy knows more about South Tipperary than do I.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary happy that there are 735 participants only in the scheme in that area?
It is a matter for each farmer to apply or not to apply. We do not believe in compulsion.
Whatever may be the Parliamentary Secretary's opinion, can he say whether the Department are satisfied with the reaction from farming areas such as South Tipperary?
The Department are satisfied in this regard.
Is it their opinion that there is room for improvement? I have received many complaints from people who applied for benefit under the farm modernisation scheme but who, because they have some small income from a source other than farming, have not been considered eligible for participation in the scheme.
The Deputy is giving information to the House. Question No. 46, please.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree with what I said?
The question deals with the number of applicants in South Tipperary.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware of the great delays that are occurring in the payment of grants under the farm modernisation scheme?
There is no delay in the payment of any grant if the work is certified as having been carried out in accordance with the conditions of the scheme.
I am speaking of cases in which the work has been certified.
Next question, please.
One final supplementary. Can the Parliamentary Secretary say when it is hoped that the other applicants will be dealt with?
In South Tipperary, 385 cases have been dealt with already.
That constitutes only about half of the 700 applicants involved.
There are 350 outstanding and it is reasonable to assume that within a matter of months all these will be classified.
Will it be a matter of two or three months?
The Chair has called the next question.
