Review of the disadvantaged areas scheme
The Minister said the review is being conducted by departmental officials, not the EEC Commission, and will consider submissions from county committees and farming organisations. No time limit was set, but he said submissions would be forwarded to Europe without delay.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if the EEC Commission itself is carrying out a review of the disadvantaged areas scheme at the moment.
24.
Comment on this
asked the Minister for Agriculture if the comprehensive review of the disadvantaged areas scheme announced on 16th September will be concerned with all aspects of the scheme or solely with the inclusion of areas additional to those already designated under the EEC Directive.
25.
Comment on this
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state, in relation to the comprehensive review of the disadvantaged areas scheme which he announced on 16th September, who is carrying out the review; if any submissions have yet been received; if he proposes to invite submissions from all county committees of agriculture; if the farming organisations will be involved in the review; if he has set a time limit for its completion; and when he expects to be in a position to make a submission in the matter to the EEC Commission.
Comment on this
With the permission of the Ceann Chomhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 24 and 25 together.
To my knowledge, no general review of the disadvantaged areas scheme is at present being carried out by the EEC Commission. The comprehensive review of the operation of the schemes in this country which I announced recently will be undertaken by officials of my Department. A number of submissions have already been received; these and any further coming to hand in the near future from interests concerned, including county committees of agriculture and farming organisations, will be considered in the review.
As announced, the review will entail a detailed study of all relevant factors; my aim is to have it completed and ready for submission to the EEC Commission as early as possible in the coming year.
Comment on this
I take it the Minister expects, because of the interest shown in the scheme by the different farming organisations and county committees of agriculture, that submissions will be sent in to the Department as early as possible and I am sure there will be no delay in forwarding those submissions to the council.
Comment on this
Why has the Minister not set a time limit to the completion of this review by his own officials? Is the disadvantaged areas scheme being reviewed by the European Commission as part of their overall review of the structural directives now taking place and, in view of the fact that the Minister has set no time limit for his review, it may well be the case that the EEC will have completed their review before ours and our submissions, if any, will not be taken?