Vol. 497 No. 2
161 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when it will be possible for farmers to apply for grants for control of farmyard pollution and dairy hygiene; the conditions applying to these grants; and the rates of payments. [24687/98]
My Department is in the process of drawing up the details of the new nationally funded schemes for the control of farm pollution and the improvement dairy hygiene standards which will be targeted towards those farmers most in need of assistance.
This process will involve consultations with farming organisations. The terms of the new schemes will then have to be approved by the EU Commission before they can come into operation. I hope to be able to launch both schemes in the first quarter of 1999.
