asked the Minister for Agriculture if the EEC agreed to extend the farm modernisation scheme to give a 10 per cent extra grant to young farmers; if Ireland applied for this extra 10 per cent; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
31.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Aid for Young Farmers.
30.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if there is an extra 10 per cent grant-aid available to young farmers in the farm modernisation scheme; and if Ireland has applied to the EEC for the extra monies.
32.
asked the Minister for Agriculture when he will apply to the EEC for the special aid scheme for young farmers which was introduced by the Community in 1981 and which all other member states have applied for.
33.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if the Government will undertake to participate in an extension of the EEC farm modernisation scheme, whereby young farmers can receive 10 per cent extra by way of grant-aid.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 to 33, inclusive, together.
An EEC directive adopted by the Council of Ministers in June 1981 allows member states the option of giving young farmers an additional aid of 10 per cent of the capital investment included in their development plans. For this purpose, young farmers are defined as those under 40 years of age who have become development farmers within five years of their first installation on a farm.
As much as 75 per cent of the cost of implementing this measure would fall on the Irish Exchequer and no provision has been made for it in the current year's Estimates for my Department.
I understand that to date only four EEC member states have notified the EEC Commission that they have introduced or intend to introduce this special provision for aid for young farmers.
Does this mean that the scheme is not being implemented in the current year and that no plans exist for its implementation next year?
That is the position. Only four EEC member states have notified the Commission that they intend to introduce this scheme.