asked the Minister for Agriculture the reason a grant for the building of a cow byre was refused to a farmer (details supplied) in County Leitrim while a grant for the provision of other farmyard facilities was paid.

When an inspection visit was made on 15 January 1985 in response to an application received on 9 January, it was found that the cow byre for which application had been made had already been erected. It is a condition of the farm modernisation scheme that grant-aid is not payable for items of work carried out without the prior written approval of the Farm Development Service. Consequently, the cow byre is not eligible for aid.

Approval has been issued for the other items applied for, namely, a manure pit, cattle enclosure, including cattle crush, and concrete yard.

I appreciate the Minister's reply, but this is part of a very serious problem which has arisen in very recent years, particularly in the west. Would the Minister consider, where farm development is carried out in accordance with good farming practice, the work is properly done and is part of an overall farm development plan, for the sake of the completion of a small formality that the small farmer should not be denied grant assistance? Would he agree that this is a little harsh? I know that it has been happening in recent years, not just while the present Minister has been in office, but would it be too much that the Minister ask his civil servants to apply some discretion in this area and not enforce the letter of the law, with such serious consequences to small farmers?

While my sympathies go out to the Deputy concerned, it has been a feature of the farm modernisation scheme and many other on-farm schemes for many years now that prior approval must be obtained.

It was only since 9 February 1983. It was introduced to save a few pounds.

It has been there since 1982. The Deputy has a short memory. I can recount several episodes in the early seventies——

It was in February 1983.

The Deputy is being disorderly. That is not like him.

Deputy O'Kennedy should tell him about his latest conversion to Thatcherism.

The Minister for Finance is now being disorderly.

It has always been a feature that prior approval is necessary and the Deputy is aware of that.

The remaining questions will appear on next Tuesday's Order Paper.