Vol. 541 No. 2
305 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if grant aid will be made available to abattoir owners and retail butchers to enable them to upgrade their abattoirs and promote and market the quality product they have on offer; the steps he will take to assist family butchers and abattoir owners in this context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21366/01]
Under the recently launched national development plan for the food sector, provision has been made to assist capital projects in the livestock sector, including the domestic abattoirs. The rate of aid is 40% of approved eligible costs and generally investments exceeding 100,000 (c£80,000) will be considered for assistance. Eligible projects will be assessed on a case by case basis.
Abattoirs fall within the ambit of the processing and marketing provisions of the EU guidelines for State aid in the agricultural sector. One such provision stipulates that aid may only be granted to enterprises that comply fully with minimum standards. Thus, aid for development may be granted to enterprises that comply with existing minimum standards regarding hygiene, animal welfare and the environment.
My Department has briefed butchers representatives on the national development plan food sector provisions generally and on criteria for possible financing of projects under the national development plan.
