Vol. 440 No. 7
206 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the amount of grant-aid allocated to the Irish organic farmers and growers association; the plans, if any, he has to increase this allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Between 1990 and 1993 my Department allocated about £225,000 by way of grant-aid to the Irish Organic Farmers and Growers' Association (IOFGA) to enable them to develop their facilities, structures and inspection service. My Department's commitment to the IOFGA ended in 1993. I have no plans to grant-aid them this year. However, I hope to have some EU Structural Funding available to me later this year for the development of the organic farming sector. Details of this funding will not be available until the National Plan and the operational programme for agriculture, rural development and forestry for the period 1994-99, are approved by the European Commission. IOFGA will be able to make application for some of this funding then.
