Farm modernisation scheme and FEOGA receipts
Treacy asked whether suspending the farm modernisation scheme had damaged Ireland’s financial standing; the Minister initially said the issue was outside the question, then cited rising FEOGA receipts, from £370 million in 1982 to £700 million the previous year. Treacy challenged the figures’ relevance and suggested many projects predated the Government, while the Minister said most receipts related to recent exports.
Could the Minister indicate to us the situation regarding the financial respect or lack of credibility or otherwise that has been imposed on this country as a result of the Minister and his Government suspending the farm modernisation scheme in 1983?
Comment on this
If the Deputy wants to hear some relevant figures I will give him some. The FEOGA receipts over the last few years are as follows. In 1982 we received £370 million from FEOGA. In 1983 that figure rose to £470 million and last year it rose to £700 million, almost a doubling in three years.
Comment on this
They are very big figures to trot out here in a simplistic answer to the question I asked.
Comment on this
Would the Minister accept that the grants from FEOGA were for very many wide-ranging projects in this country which had an indirect effect on agriculture but not a direct input into agriculture?
Comment on this
(Limerick West): Would the Minister not agree that most of those projects were initiated prior to 1982 before his Government took office?