Farmers relying on advisers’ assurances
Deputy Wilson urged special treatment for farmers who undertook work on ACOT officers’ advice, citing 200 cases in Cavan. The Minister maintained that written approval was required for grants, and the Chair then moved the remaining questions to the next day.
Would the Minister agree that where ACOT officers have been advising small farmers who have incurred expenditure as a result of that advice in the belief that the scheme was to continue, there is a moral obligation on his Department to pay grants in those cases? There are 200 of them in County Cavan alone. Would he say that when the scheme is revived — the sooner the better — those people will get special treatment?
Comment on this
In so far as the scheme itself is concerned, as I have pointed out here on a number of occasions in the last half hour, unless written approval was given, as was part of the scheme——
