Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

The National Development Plan 2007-2013 provides for continued financial support for, in particular, on-farm investments. The farm improvement scheme, which was introduced by the Department on 12 July 2007, provides grant aid to farmers for the installation of grain bins and silos at a grant rate of 40% up to a maximum eligible investment ceiling of €120,000. These items were not previously eligible for grant aid under the farm waste management scheme, which closed for new applications at the end of 2006. An additional top up grant of 10% is available to eligible young farmers for the installation of these items. A substantial number of farmers have already applied for grant aid for these items since the scheme commenced and the Department is currently conducting a review of the overall grain storage.

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