Vol. 493 No. 5
141 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he has received an assessment of the damage done to the potato crop in north County Dublin particularly in the Rush and Lusk areas; the proposals, if any, he has to give assistance to those farmers badly hit as a result of frost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16783/98]
The possibility of damage to potato crops from frost is a feature of early crop production. While I am aware that producers in north County Dublin suffered frost damage to crops, I have no plans to introduce a compensation scheme for such losses. The 1997 scheme which provided assistance for a small number of horticulture and other arable crop producers whose viability was in jeopardy was a special once-off scheme.
