asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline details of the housing grant scheme for the improvement of farmers' living conditions under the revised western package.

The proposals for a revision of the western package, at present before the Council of Ministers, contain a provision for aid to improve farm dwellinghouses or to erect new dwellinghouses, with priority being given to farms where succeeding adult generations are living on the land.

The Council has not yet taken a decision on the proposals and at this stage it is not possible to say what provisions the final measure will contain or how they will be implemented. However I can say that at my request the Commission has proposed other major changes to the regulation relating to the extension of the measure to all less-favoured areas of Ireland, an increase in the FEOGA contribution rate from 50 per cent to 70 per cent and the provision of aid for basic animal housing and for fodder and effluent storage.

I welcome the announcement in relation to the scheme even though it is somewhat nebulous yet. Can the Minister say if it will be ACOT or the farm development service that will administer the scheme? I would urge a role for the farm home advisers who have done excellent work within ACOT.

I take that point from the Deputy. What has happened so far has been a matter of direct negotiation between the Government, myself and the Commission. The matter is now before the Council of Ministers and, obviously, I hope I can persuade the Council of Ministers to implement the scheme and to translate it into regulation. When they do so I will take note of what the Deputy has suggested.