Vol. 472 No. 4
42 Mr. N. Treacy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the total number of applications for grant aid in respect of investments and alternative enterprises which were refused since 4 October 1996; the reason for such refusals; if he will review this situation and allow these applications to proceed in the normal way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22916/96]
The alternative enterprise scheme is one of the sub measures operated under the Operational Programme for Agriculture, Rural Development and Forestry 1994-99. The scheme was launched in December 1994 and terminated, with immediate effect, on 4 October last.
Since then some 67 applications were submitted to the FDS offices. These were refused as they were received after the closure of the scheme.
The closure of the scheme to new applicants will allow the Department to proceed with the orderly processing of all remaining applications on hands and enable farmers to undertake their planned developments.
