Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 February 2004
170 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the fact that many small farmers will not benefit from funding allocated to the waste management scheme in relation to the farm waste management scheme; the number of small farmers that will be affected by this; and the help he intends to extend to these farmers. [5114/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe farm waste management scheme, which is co-funded by the EU, is implemented in accordance with an approved programme of on-farm investment schemes under Council Regulation 1257/1999. The scheme provides that applicants will be accepted from farmers who have a minimum of 30 income units, of which at least 20 must come from farming. As off-farm income can therefore be taken into account in order to meet this minimum income threshold of 30 income units, the number of farmers that currently fall into this category is difficult to determine.
The European Commission has repeatedly opposed any relaxation of this minimum income provision despite several approaches by my Department on the matter.
