asked the Minister for Agriculture if under the EEC special aid scheme for the west of Ireland, a special new scheme to encourage calf to beef system of production in this area is to be introduced and, if so, when and how it is to operate.
3.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - West of Ireland Special Aid Scheme.
2.
asked the Minister for Agriculture when and where the 25 new educational training centres are to be provided in the west of Ireland under the EEC special aid scheme for the west.
4.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the details of the proposed agricultural resource development centre to be constructed in the west of Ireland under the EEC special aid scheme for the west; in particular (a) location, (b) functions and approximate cost, (c) staffing and management structure and (d) date of opening; if it will be confined to county committee advisory staff from western counties only and the basis and duration of the EEC aid to be made available.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 2, 3 and 4 together.
The EEC Commission's proposals for improving agricultural structures in the west of Ireland are currently under consideration in the Council of Agricultural Ministers. I am pressing to have these proposals adopted as quickly as possible but until the Council have taken a decision on them, it would not be appropriate for me to say at this stage what format any of the proposed measures might take.
Is there a proposal to have 25 new educational centres, a scheme to aid calf to beef system of production and an agricultural resource development centre?
As the Deputy knows, a proposal is the initial stage in this. There is a proposal, as the Deputy knows, for the adoption of a specific programme for the development of agriculture in the west of Ireland. The west of Ireland goes a little outside the traditional definition of the area of the west of Ireland.
I appreciate that.
The measures that the Commission want adopted are to involve the agricultural advisory service as much as possible. It is essential to involve them in the development of the west. The resource development centre mentioned by the Deputy is one of the possibilities being discussed and farm training centres are also involved.
The calf to beef system?
Yes, the development of subsidies for calves to enable farmers to keep them from calf to beef. As the Deputy and farmers in his part of the country know very well, the tradition has been to sell off sucks or to keep them to stores and sell them to other farmers for fattening.
I appreciate that gratuitous illumination from the Minister in relation to this matter. Will the Minister let us know when he expects a decision to be taken on these matters? It is a matter of urgency to get these matters under way.
The Deputy knows that procedure in the European scene is to start with proposals and then move on. There is a long time lag between the proposal and the directive. The Minister for Agriculture is pushing ahead as quickly as possible and I hope that farmers will be delighted with the help for the west of Ireland.
This set of proposals has been kicked about for the past two years and we are still at the stage of talking about the long time-lag between proposals and decisions and generalities of that nature. We are not making progress at all. Does the Minister expect a decision to be taken on this before the end of the year or not?
The Deputy is very naïve if he thinks that kicking about proposals is the proper description of the very careful work that goes into a proposal before it becomes a directive.
Do not mind about me being naïve. When will there be a decision? Does the Minister know?