Vol. 573 No. 4
297 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan is eligible for grant aid towards the provision of three phase power supply under the CLÁR programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26191/03]
CLÁR funds the cost of the customer contribution to the ESB for conversion from single phase to three phase electricity supply for small businesses. In order to qualify for assistance under the scheme, a business must be located in a CLÁR area and employ not more than ten people. The applicant's business must also have received assistance since 1 January 1997 from the county enterprise board, the local Leader group or from Údarás na Gaeltachta. Assistance may be in the form of grant aid, training, mentoring or advice.
On the basis of the information provided, the person referred to by the Deputy does not appear to be eligible for assistance under this scheme. However, I refer the Deputy to the farm electrification grant scheme, FEGS, which is operated by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. FEGS subsidises the basic installation or conversion of electricity supply in farmhouses and farms engaged in traditional farming located in disadvantaged areas. "Disadvantaged areas" in this case means the areas designated by the Department of Agriculture and Food as having a specific handicap and where conditions are particularly severe for farming. Further information may be obtained from the electricity division, Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.
