Donal Moynihan
Ceist:9 Mr. Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the incentives available to farmers for sheep housing.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Farm Improvement Programme.
Johnny Fox
Ceist:21 Mr. J. Fox asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when he intends to reintroduce grants for the control of farmyard pollution in view of the fact that no such scheme currently exists and that this will be a necessary prerequisite of the REPS scheme.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 21 together.
Grant aid for sheep housing and pollution control works is currently available under the farm improvement programme to farmers who take out a farm development plan. My Department's proposals for an operational programme to implement the agriculture, rural development and forestry aspects of the National Development Plan 1994-99 provide for continuation of the specific farm pollution control scheme which also has provision for sheep housing. Negotiations with the European Commission have been ongoing in recent months with a view to having the operational programme adopted at the earliest date.
My Department is also discussing with the Commission the possibility of introducing a number of the measures covered by the operational programme, including that relating to pollution control, in advance of formal agreement on the programme.
Will the Minister of State indicate how much money will be available under the operational programme and can he give a guarantee that if moneys run out, as happened under previous programmes, further funding will be found?
I am not in a position to divulge how much funding will be available.
It forms part of the £8 billion.
Unlike the Community Support Framework, the operational programmes have yet to be agreed. Under the previous programme for agriculture £95 million was made available for the control of farmyard pollution, of which £66.4 million was provided by the European Union. For a number of reasons it is important to make progress in this area. I cannot, however, divulge how much funding will be available because the operational programme has yet to be agreed and returned to us.
I agree that it is critical we ensure further progress is made. Farmers have already made great strides in the area of environmental protection. Question No. 37 in my name also relates to this specific matter. In view of the shortfall of £1 billion for the National Development Plan, will the reductions which will have to be made in the operational programme for agriculture impinge on this scheme? I hope the need to control farmyard pollution will be given priority by the Department.
Until the operational programmes are finalised I will not be in a position to respond.
When will that be? When the Dáil is in recess and we will not be in a position to discuss them?
The Community Support Framework has been approved and the operational programmes will follow. We had hoped that some of the programmes would be announced in tandem but the final details have to be decided.
One billion pounds has to be found.
I have no information available on the amount of money that will be available.
Farm waste studies identified areas where intensive farming is carried on as having serious pollution problems. To ensure the continuance of such farming, will the Minister agree that special cognisance should be taken of such areas in any pollution control measures and that in some instances the installation of underground tanks should be considered?
I acknowledge the point made by Deputy Leonard. Under the REPS scheme there is scope for development in that regard. The REPS scheme is a non-capital one to encourage farmers to farm in an environmentally friendly manner, including a requirement that farmers adhere to a programme for collection, storage, management and disposal of all farmyard waste. Obviously, a capital commitment must precede that to ensure a system is in place. We must be mindful of areas in which there is a high concentration of pollution and assist in every way possible to rectify those problems. The programme for rural environmental protection affords the possibility to move forward on a number of fronts, although it may not be able to deal substantially with all the problems outlined.
When will the REPS programme be in operation? It was announced twice before the elections, but it is still not up and running. Teagasc has not even been advised about it yet.
The money is available for it.
On an administrative basis, it is not ready to operate.
Where are the staff to run it?
That is a separate question. The programme was announced on 1 June, the booklet has been published and the funds are available.
It was announced three times prior to polling day. Will the Minister say from when it will operate?
The money is on the way and that is the important thing.
(Interruptions.)
The announcement was premature.
Does the Minister envisage a scheme being introduced to put an upper limit on the number of sheep per acre in view of the serious soil erosion caused by overgrazing?
That contingency is catered for under the REPS scheme. Detailed information is available in that regard which I will be pleased to pass on to the Deputy.