asked the Minister for Agriculture why only 15 per cent of EEC farm grants due to Irish farmers had been paid at the end of last year; if he will explain why conditions of entitlement for payment have not been made to the Community in good time for early payments; and his proposals to rectify the matter.
Written Answers . - EEC Farm Grants .
159.
: It is presumed that the grants referred to are those awarded under the FEOGA individual projects scheme (EEC Regulation 17/64) for certain structural projects aimed at improving agricultural production and marketing. Grants for individual farms are not involved since they are catered for under the farm modernisation scheme.
To recoup approved grants from FEOGA, applicants must follow a specific procedure laid down in EEC Commission Regulation 99/64. Successful applicants are advised by my Department of this procedure immediately the decisions on grant approvals are announced. Detailed claims have to be certified by the appropriate national authorities and submitted to the EEC Commission for payment. It is a matter for the applicants themselves to prepare and submit claims and in doing so every assistance is given them by the national authorities concerned. On receipt of completed claims, the EEC Commission pay grants direct to bank accounts nominated by the applicants.
As many of these projects can extend over a period of time claims are normally paid in instalments. Despite encouragement to do so a number of successful Irish applicants have been slow to present completed claims. However, under the EEC regulations a period of up to five years is allowed from the date of approval to complete a project and present claims. Of the £29.4 million allocated for Irish projects to date, some £15 million were approved within the last year and a half and claims for many of these would only now be in the course of preparation.