Vol. 417 No. 7
183 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food whether any grant assistance is available to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare to enable him to set up a green horticultural enterprise; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
There are no grants available at present for such enterprises.
Last year my Department operated a pilot scheme of grant aid for investment in organic farming enterprises. The object of the scheme was to provide aid towards the cost of facilities for the commercial production, storage and marketing of organic produce. Under the scheme £88,000 was paid to 32 organic producers, co-ops and firms.
A decision on offering similar grant aid in the future is dependent on the results of an evaluation of the effectiveness of the pilot scheme which will be completed in the next few months.
