asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will indicate in respect of County Donegal the number of farmers classified as (a) commercial farmers (b) development farmers and (c) transitional farmers; the estimated number not yet classified; and the range of grants available to the non-classified farmers.
Written Answers. - Farmer Classification.
171.
As at 30th November, of 1,176 farmers classified in the county there were 14 commercial, 47 development and 1,115 transitional farmers.
A further 356 applications were being processed.
Pending classification an applicant deemed to be eligible for the scheme, may receive provisional approval to proceed with urgent works and will qualify in due course for the grants appropriate to his category.
Classification arises only when a farmer applies to take part in the scheme. All eligible applicants come into one or other of the categories and the grants applying to that category are then available to them.