asked the Minister for Agriculture if his attention has been drawn to delays in payment to farmers under the farm modernisation scheme and if he will increase grants for farm buildings.

Grants under the farm modernisation scheme are normally paid within six weeks after receipt of notification that the work has been completed. In some hundreds of cases, however, payment cannot be made until evidence of keeping farm accounts is furnished to my Department. The farmers concerned have been notified to this effect and have been asked to furnish the necessary evidence.

Grants are based on national standard costings in operation at the time of approval. These costings are revised from time to time to take account of price changes. The last revision took place as recently as December.