asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will increase substantially the grant-in-aid payable to Macra na Feirme.

Given the many other demands on the Exchequer it was not possible to increase the level of grant assistance to Macra na Feirme in 1986.

In view of the fact that Macra do tremendous work and that their grant has not been increased over the past six years, is there any hope of an increase in the immediate future?

Not in the immediate future. The next possibility of an increase is when the Estimates for 1987 are drawn up. They also get a considerable subvention from the Department of Labour and overall the contribution to that organisation has doubled since 1981.

I accept that they get a grant towards youth employment policy, but it is not on a level with those paid to other youth organisations.

It is considerably more than that paid to other organisations which my Department support.