asked the Minister for Energy if he will make the maximum grant for afforestation available to owners of cutaway bog in areas which are not at present classified as being disadvantaged.

A maximum private forestry grant of £800 per hectare is available at present under the EC assisted western package scheme in the 11 western counties and the western parts of Cork and Limerick. The scheme is confined to these disadvantaged areas under the relevant EC Regulation but EC approval has been sought to extend the scheme to all the disadvantaged areas in the country. Private owners of cutaway bog in the remainder of the country can avail of the State private planting grant scheme which provides grants of £500 per hectare for conifers and £800 per hectare for broadleaves.