Dáil Éireann - Volume 685 - 17 June, 2009

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Deputy Jack Wall Deputy Jack Wall

187

[187] Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of farmers who have sought a grant application in relation to the farm electrification grant programme; the number per county or geographic area; the average grant awarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23843/09]

Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív

  Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív:Since my Department took over responsibility for the Farm Electrification Grant Scheme for Disadvantaged Areas in 2005, 1,618 applications have been received. Of the 1,088 applications approved to date by my Department, the average amount has been €466 per application.

The Deputy should note that this is not a national scheme. It is available only to farmers in designated Disadvantaged Areas, as identified by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (D/AFF). Accordingly, all statistics referred to are in relation to those geographic areas only, which cover the entire counties of Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan, Sligo, Mayo, Galway, Leitrim, Roscommon, Longford, Clare and Kerry and parts of other counties, designated as disadvantaged by the D/AFF.

Details in this regard are available at: http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/farmerschemespayments/ singlepaymentscheme/categoriesofdisadvantagedareas/

Dáil Éireann 685 Written Answers. Grant Payments.

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