(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that the establishment, assistance and installation aids which were recently announced for young farmers only reach a very small minority because of the fact that they must at least operate one labour unit on the farm and that this will totally exclude any of this assistance going to the west of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - EC Farm Aid.
79.
Regulation (EEC) No. 797/85 provides that, to qualify for an installation premium, a young farmer must have been installed on a holding with a minimum labour requirement of one man work unit. As this is an EC requirement, I have no discretion in the matter. The minimum labour requirement is not a condition of the extra investment aid available to young farmers under the farm improvement programme.