Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2004
235 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the financial assistance which will be provided to farmers to assist in meeting the requirements of the nitrates directive, when implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6047/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraSubstantial financial aid will be available to farmers on whom the nitrates directive has an impact. In Sustaining Progress, the Government stated that recognising the importance of the nitrates directive and its impact on certain farmers, a number of initiatives shall be taken in the context of optimising the use of available EU and national budgetary resources. These initiatives included a review of REPS with higher payment rates and changes to the terms and conditions of the farm waste management scheme and the dairy hygiene scheme with an increase of the income and eligible investment ceilings. Proposals for REPS, including an average 28% increase in payments, are now with the European Commission for approval.
Earlier this year, I secured approval from the EU to proceed with substantial improvements to both the farm waste management and the dairy hygiene schemes with effect from January 2004. The new schemes incorporate a number of major changes. The ceiling for eligibility under the schemes has been raised from 200 to 450 income units. This change will mean that the vast majority of Irish farmers will now be able to avail of grant aid. The investment ceilings have also been raised from €50,790 to €75,000 in the case of farm waste management works and from €31,743 to €50,000 in the case of dairy hygiene works. Furthermore, a standardised grant rate of 40% will now apply for most investments which is twice what would have been available to many farmers previously. In addition, increases have already been applied to the standard costs used to calculate grant aid.
Section 21 of the Finance Bill 2004 extends the special scheme of capital allowances for expenditure incurred on the construction of facilities to control farm pollution to 31 December 2006, subject to the enactment of the necessary legislation in the Finance Act 2004. The scheme allows total expenditure on or after 6 April 2000 on necessary measures for farm pollution control to be written off as a tax allowance over seven years. This allowance is subject to a maximum write-off in any one year of the lesser of 50 % of the expenditure or €31,743.
236 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he has received the Irish Farmers’ Association submission on the draft nitrates directive; his views on same; the proposals he has made to the Commission on the implementation of the directive here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6048/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraProposals for further implementation of the nitrates directive were issued for public consultation on 19 December 2003 by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Department of Agriculture and Food in the draft nitrates action programme. All interested parties were invited to provide comments in writing within two months. I have received a submission on the draft nitrates action programme from the Irish Farmers' Association. The issues raised in the submission will be considered by the two Departments, in association with all submissions by other interested parties, in the preparation of the final proposals.
I will give consideration to the issues involved in consultation with my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government having regard to the need to finalise the terms of the action programme at an early date and submit definitive proposals to the EU Commission.
237 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if agreement was reached in the process of the partnership talks on the amount of livestock manure per hectare which shall be applied to the land per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6049/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to the amount of livestock manure per hectare to be applied to land, the Sustaining Progress agreement stated that in the context of the regime soon to be adopted to transpose the provisions of the nitrates directive, the Government will use the flexibility in the directive to seek to secure European Commission approval for limits of up to 250 kg per hectare per annum to be allowable in appropriate circumstances. The draft nitrates action programme currently under discussion includes a provision to this effect and is consistent with the provisions of Sustaining Progress.
