Grant aid was available to horse breeders through a number of quality breeding schemes under the EU co-financed Operational Programme for Agriculture, Rural Development and Forestry, 1994 to 1999. Payments under these schemes are ongoing this year but only on claims which were lodged with my Department and in respect of which my Department had entered into commitments before 31 December 1999.
Proposals for funding for further grants schemes for the benefit of horse breeders and the infrastructure within which such breeding takes place, farm improvement grants for housing and handling facilities for horses and assistance for training for the horse industry for the period 2000 to 2006 have been put forward as part of the national development plan for the development of the horse industry. Details of all the schemes will be announced when the plan has been approved by the EU Commission.
The equine headage scheme applies in the areas of the country designated as more severely handicapped, less severely handicapped and as coastal areas with specific handicaps, the disadvantaged areas. The scheme operates annually. A specific application period, with opening and closing dates, is set by my Department and application forms are posted to applicants who were in the scheme in previous years.
Grants are paid on breeding mares which are registered in the applicant's name in the Connemara Pony Breeders' Society or in the Irish Horse Register. Rates of payment are £70 per mare on the first eight eligible mares and £66 per mare on the next 22 eligible mares.
To qualify for grants, an applicant must be a registered herdowner aged 18 years or over; occupy and farm at least 3 hectares in a disadvantaged area; undertake to continue in farming in a disadvantaged area for at least five years from the date of first payment under any disadvantaged area scheme and satisfy my Department that he or she is in a position to honour this undertaking; have submitted a valid area aid application for the year of equine headage scheme application; undertake to keep the mares on which headage grants are being claimed for a minimum of two calendar months from the day after the date of receipt of the application by my Department; supply his or her RSI number if applying for total headage payments of more than £500 in any calendar year.
The above is a summary of the detailed terms and conditions which apply to the equine headage scheme and I have arranged for copies of the application form and terms and conditions for this year's scheme to be sent to the Deputy when they become available in April 2000.