asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the principle of installation aid as an incentive to young persons.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Installation Aid Scheme.
38.
While the installation aid provided an incentive to the transfer of land to young farmers, the necessity to reduce public expenditure this year unfortunately resulted in the aid being discontinued.
Would the Minister accept that this is a slap in the face to the young farmers who worked with the last Government for about two years to have this scheme approved in Brussels and implemented here?
There are many schemes, not alone in the agricultural arena which would be more than desirable if the necessary finance were available for the Department to organise and operate them, but unfortunately, due to the very severe budgetary position, many of those schemes have suffered.
There is a better way.
Would the Minister accept that out of the Agriculture Vote of £181 million the saving involved in the abolition of this scheme is minuscule, and that if the Government had any interest in continuing this scheme the monetary consideration would not be of major importance?
I am sure the Deputy will agree that that measurement can be applied to any scheme operated by any Department.
Is the Minister aware that the amount involved is only about £500,000 and that that sum, in proportion to the total Agriculture Vote, is only a tiny percentage?
The funding of any scheme has to be seen in the context of the overall budgetary position.