asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is satisfied with the progress of the land project for the reclamation of land; and the number of applications for each of the past three years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Land Project.
49.
I am satisfied with progress under the land project for the reclamation of land. The number of applications received under section A of the project in the past three calendar years——
Shut up Murphy, for a minute.
Deputy Lemass will resume his seat.
I want to ask the Parliamentary Secretary——
The Deputy must allow Question Time to proceed.
——and the information must be available, if it is a fact that our horticultural producers are being paid less than their counterparts in Europe?
Question No. 49.
I want an answer. This Murphy boy cannot come up here and ride over us. The Chair is here to protect our interests as well as the interests of the Government.
Question No. 49.
I will not accept that. I want an answer to my question.
I am satisfied with progress under the Land Project for the reclamation of land. The number of applications received under section A of the project in the past three calendar years was as follows:— 1972, 20,574; 1973, 20,233; 1974, 1,753. With the introduction of the farm modernisation scheme applications under the ordinary section A Land Project scheme ceased to be accepted as from 1st February, 1974.
Name me. I want an answer to my supplementary or put me out. The Parliamentary Secretary is chatting away to himself. I want an answer to my question.
Will the Deputy resume his seat?
I will not resume my seat.
If the Deputy will not resume his seat will he allow the House to proceed with its business?
Then name me. Go on. The Parliamentary Secretary can name me. There is not one other person on the Government benches. Let Deputy Murphy name me.
Will the Deputy resume his seat?
I am staying on my feet. I want to be named.
The Deputy then wants to hold up the business of the House.
I want to be named.
The Chair is not going to oblige the Deputy. The Deputy will resume his seat or else he will leave the House.
I answered the question.
You did not answer my supplementary question.
Will the Deputy resume his seat or else leave the House?
I have six, seven or eight question down to the Parliamentary Secretary and he is not answering. I will not resume my seat.
The Deputy is bringing the House into disrepute by this procedure.
Perhaps. You can have me named by the Parliamentary Secretary.
A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, would you ask the Parliamentary Secretary to reply to Deputy Lemass's last supplementary?
Question No. 49 has been answered.
I was asking the Parliamentary Secretary about horticultural subsidies and the Parliamentary Secretary refuses to reply.
I gave the information.
I refuse to resume my seat and I intend to disrupt the business of the House until such time as you either make the Parliamentary Secretary reply to me or——
The Deputy must resume his seat.
There is not one Labour or Fine Gael Deputy behind the Parliamentary Secretary. Name me and put me out.
I did not hear the answer to Question No. 49.
I am satisfied with progress under the land project for the reclamation of land. The number of applications received under section A of the project in the past three calendar years was as follows:
|
1972 |
20,574 |
|
1973 |
20,233 |
|
1974 |
1,753 |
With the introduction of the farm modernisation scheme applications under the ordinary section A Land Project scheme ceased to be accepted from 1st February, 1974.
A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, on the advice of my colleagues I will sit down.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary indicate clearly to the House the people who are now entitled to avail of the Land Project scheme? I take it from his reply that only the modernisation farmer is entitled to the Land Project scheme. Is that correct?
The Deputy's assumption is incorrect.
The Deputy is correct. There is no Land Project scheme.
This question relates to the progress of the Land Project scheme and I have given the Deputy the figures.
There is no Land Project scheme.
There is. The Land Project scheme is part of the farm modernisation scheme.
Is it going to continue?
I have given the number of applications received under section A of the project——
In the last three years. There is none now.
Last year it was only one month. In the month of January there were 1,753 applications.
You scrapped it last year. On the 1st February you scrapped it.
I should like to get concrete evidence here. I take it the Parliamentary Secretary is now suggesting that the Land Project scheme is abolished, that there is nothing in its place, but that a modernisation farmer can avail of a drainage grant somewhat equivalent to the Land Project scheme. Is that the position?
If the Deputy says somewhat equivalent to the Land Project scheme, that is correct. A farmer under the farm modernisation scheme can carry out land project work on the one hand, farm buildings on another, some other desirable improvements as a third line of work and he can be paid separately for each. When he has one phase of the plan completed he is entitled to receive payment and that will enable him to move forward to phase two and phase three of his plan.
This document which has been circulated to us classifies farmers as commercial farmers, development farmers, transitional farmers eligible for retirement pension, transitional farmers not eligible for retirement pension. Are transitional farmers eligible for retirement pension entitled to a grant for drainage purposes somewhat equivalent to what the Land Project was before 1974?
It is set down in the scheme that for commercial farmers the grant for land improvement is 40 per cent or 7 per cent interest subsidy over 15 years. For development farmers the grant is 50 per cent or 9 per cent interest subsidy over a period of 15 years. For transitional farmers not eligible for retirement pension the grant is 50 per cent or interest subsidy of 9 per cent over a period of 15 years. In the case of a transitional farmer eligible for retirement pension the grant is 40 per cent or interest subsidy of 7 per cent over 15 years. That is quite clear to everybody.
I am sorry for holding up the House but this is vitally important. Does land improvement include the improvement of land by drainage under a scheme somewhat analogous to what the Land Project scheme was?
Yes, this is land improvement.
But not for small farmers.
I take the Parliamentary Secretary is stating that this is available to all the categories of farmers——
All farmers.
——the four across the line here?
Across the line. It is set down in the document circulated to Deputies today.
The Minister is aware that last February all grants went except through the farm modernisation scheme. If you go into the farm modernisation scheme you are eligible for grants but you will be paid at the lowest rate for all grants until you are classified?
That is right. An applicant can then get the balance due.
Until he is classified he gets a lower grant.
That would be termed an interim payment and where the circumstances warrant it and where a farmer may require money urgently they would pay him at the lower rate until such time as his eligibility for a higher grant is determined.