asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will issue a statement without delay on the future of the western drainage scheme.
327.
Written Answers. - Western Drainage Scheme.
326.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will seek further allocation of moneys from the European Community to allow for the inclusion of more land under the western drainage scheme.
328.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will enforce a time limit for the completion of drainage works and allow new applicants into the western drainage scheme.
329.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the reason EC grants under the western drainage scheme have not been availed of by the Government.
330.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if in view of the situation that it is proposed to drain only one hundred and fifty thousand hectares under the western drainage scheme and that to date approximately one hundred and twenty thousand hectares have been drained, he will now give immediate approval to existing applications to cover the remaining thirty thousand hectares in order to bring the scheme up to completion; and if he will make a statement on this very serious situation.
331.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the total amount of unclaimed money available from the EC authorities for the western drainage scheme since 1981, if he will make specific application to claim this money and if he will make a statement on the entire drainage situation in the west.
332.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the arrangements that are being made to deal with the backlog of applications for the western drainage scheme.
333.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if further moneys will be sought to have the western drainage scheme continued.
334.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if, in view of the statement in the Government Plan 1985-87 that western drainage will be revived in 1986, he proposes to operate the farm modernisation drainage scheme in the interim.
335.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the details of the reintroduction of the western drainage scheme as outlined in the National Economic Plan, Building on Reality.
336.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will give details of grants available for drainage works in the west; and if he will consider restoring grants under the western drainage scheme in view of the large tracts of land which are under-utilized due to the necessity for field drainage in the west.
337.
asked the Minister for Agriculture when he proposes to reintroduce the western drainage scheme; and if it is his intention to have arterial drainage included in the scheme when reintroduced.
338.
asked the Minister for Agriculture in view of the National Plan's emphasis on increasing agricultural output through land improvement, and in view of the Taoiseach's and his own publicly stated opinions that the western drainage scheme is an outstanding success, if he envisages lifting the embargo in force since last February on all new applications under the scheme, thereby ensuring that the drainage necessary to ensure increased output and prudent management of our natural resources will take place.
I propose to take Questions 326 to 338, inclusive, together.
Under the western drainage scheme the area which may be the subject of field drainage is limited by the EC to 150,000 hectares. Up to a recent date approval had issued for 162,000 hectares, and there were some 10,000 applications on hands from persons interested in carrying out field drainage under the measure. Making due allowance for projects which for various reasons would not be carried out, it had been estimated that applications received up to 30 September 1981 would account for the full area allowed. However, by not claiming reimbursement from the EC for certain less-intensive joint works, (except in conjunction with a claim for field drainage), it will be possible to increase the amount of field drainage which can be carried out under the EC measures, and thus cater for applications received up to about the end of 1981. Processing of these applications will commence without delay and they will arise for payment in 1986 and 1987. This course has become possible as a result of the additional funds made available under the national plan.
The rate of grant under the western drainage scheme is 70 per cent of the approved cost subject to a maximum grant of £560 per hectare. Applications under the scheme are dealt with strictly in order of receipt and this will continue. When approval is issued for a drainage project a time limit is imposed for the completion of the work, and failure to meet the deadline can result in cancellation of the approval and loss of grant-aid. Such time limits will continue to be enforced. There is no question of moneys available from the EC under the scheme remaining unclaimed. In accordance with normal procedure claims are forwarded to the Commission each year in respect of sums disbursed by the State under the scheme. An examination is being made of the options available for dealing with outstanding applications which cannot be catered for within the extension of the scheme now proposed. When a decision is reached on this and on the matter of future drainage in the west, an announcement will be made. As regards arterial drainage, this is a matter for the Office of Public Works. The Corrib-Mask-Robe, the Boyle and the Bonet catchments are included in the western drainage scheme and there are no proposals at present to include further catchments.