Vol. 450 No. 6
171 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if his Department will provide grant aid for participants in farrier courses approved by the Irish Horse Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5425/95]
Outline proposals on farriery were included in the recently announced Operational Programme for Agriculture, Rural Development and Forestry — OPARDF. The proposal is to contribute to the costs incurred by organisations in creating and maintaining a register of qualified farriers, and improving the general standards of farriery in the country.
Funds under OPARDF are being made available to the Irish Horse Board Co-operative Society which will be responsible for allocating and paying the grant-aid to appropriate organisations. The details of the scheme are being drawn up. It is my intention that participants in farriery courses will benefit from it.
