Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 25 May 1999

Vol. 505 No. 3

Written Answers. - Organic Farming.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

64 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps, if any, taken by his Department to fulfil the commitment made in An Action Programme for the Millennium to actively encourage the development of the organic farm sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13584/99]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

Support is provided under the rural environment protection scheme and the scheme of grant aid under the operational programme for agriculture, rural development and forestry 1994-99 for the organic farm sector.

Payments in the order of £3 million have been made to date to organic farmers under the REP scheme and a total of almost £224,000 has been paid under the organic grant scheme of the operational programme.

The Department also provides annual funding to the three private organic inspection bodies, Irish organic farmers and growers association, organic trust ltd. and demeter standards and maintains a register of genuine organic producers licensed by the three organic inspection bodies. The number of producers on the register is in excess of 800.

Future support arrangements for the organic farming sector are under consideration in the Department in the context of the new National Development Plan for the period 2000-06. The outcome of the evaluation of REPS which is due to be completed next month will be taken into account in this process.