asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will outline all grant schemes applicable to disadvantaged areas which are currently operated by his Department.
Written Answers. - Agricultural Grant Schemes.
470.
Mr. Coughlan
I assume the Deputy is referring to schemes only applicable to the disadvantaged areas. Details are as follows:
Headage — Under EEC Directive 75/268 headage schemes are operated for cattle in severely handicapped areas, for beef cows in less severely handicapped areas and for sheep in designated areas (including mountain sheep grazing areas in the east).
Western Drainage — Under EEC Directive 78/628 as extended by EEC Regulation 2195/81 the Western Drainage Scheme provides for drainage of 150,000 hectares in the west of Ireland.
Pursuant to EEC Directive 75/268 preferential rates of grant aid are made available under the Farm Modernisation Scheme in Disadvantaged Areas to development farmers towards investment in farm buildings.
Programme for Western Development — EEC Regulation 1820/80 introduced a special programme for the west of Ireland. Under this programme aid is available for infrastructural measures such as water, roads and electricity, for forestry, for agricultural training, for marketing and processing of agricultural products and for measures relating to farm structures, i.e., commonage division, land improvement, orientation of production, and on-farm roads.
The Deputy will of course appreciate that farmers in disadvantaged areas can also benefit from schemes applicable to other parts of the country.