asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will allow farmers who work as agricultural contractors on a part-time basis to supplement their incomes by participating in the farm modernisation scheme.

Farmers who may engage in agricultural contracting in order to supplement an inadequate income from farming would be allowed to participate in the farm modernisation scheme: However, only investments undertaken for the farm but not for the agricultural contracting business would be eligible for aid.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that certain classes of part-time farmers were exempted and are allowed to qualify under the farm modernisation scheme, while agricultural contractors whose main source of livelihood is farming are disqualified under the scheme, and could he give the reasons for this?

That is not so. As the reply indicates precisely, they are not precluded from the farm modernisation scheme. Farmers who engage in outside agricultural work qualify.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary pass on that information to the section of his Department dealing with the farm modernisation scheme?

I am sure the Department will be only too glad to give the Deputy any information he requires if he contacts them.