Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 May 2004
92 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the Acts and the sections of those Acts under which the decision on the Punchestown centre was grant aided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13115/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraI took the decision to provide funding for the Punchestown centre as part of my functions as Minister for Agriculture and Food under the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924, as amended, to aid, improve and develop agriculture. A separate subhead was provided for the project in the Department of Agriculture and Food's Estimates in each of the years 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. This particular provision came before Deputies on eight separate occasions, first in the House and then in select committees. The basis for the expenditure came from the Dáil resolution on the spending Estimates in each of these years. This annual resolution is confirmed statutorily in the Appropriations Act.
