Jimmy Devins (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Question 190: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her plans to introduce a new farm waste management scheme. [26161/05]

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 197: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when she will introduce new grant rates provided to farmers under the control of farmyard pollution scheme in view of the increasing cost of steel and the demands which will be placed on farmers due to the nitrates directive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26182/05]

Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 200: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when the new grants system for the construction of new slurry storage facilities arising from the nitrates directive will be in place; the areas of the country where it will apply; the amount of aid that will be available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26464/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 190, 197 and 200 together.

To assist farmers meet the additional requirements of the nitrates action programme, I have announced details of a proposed revised farm waste management scheme for which EU approval is now being sought. I hope early approval of the scheme will be forthcoming so that it can be introduced next January.

Subject to the required EU approval, the scheme will introduce a standard grant rate of 60%, with 70% being available for zone C counties, in place of the current grant rate of 40%, with additional aid available for young farmers at rates of 10% in less-favoured areas and 5% in other areas; extend the maximum income unit ceiling for farmers from 450 to 650 income units, with no upper limit being applied in the case of pig and poultry farmers; raise the maximum eligible investment from €75,000 to €120,000; remove any minimum income requirements from farming from the scheme so that all small farmers can participate in the scheme; the scheme will be extended to include horses, deer, goats, pigs and poultry, and mushroom compost; introduce a new 40% grant rate for specialised equipment with specific environmental advantages subject to maximum eligible investment of €80,000 in the case of decanter centrifuge systems and dry feeding systems for pigs, and €40,000 in the case of specialised slurry spreading tankers and related equipment; and increase maximum eligible investment for standard mobile equipment from €11,000 to €15,000 with the grant rate remaining at 20%.

I am satisfied that, if approved, the revised scheme will provide a very satisfactory platform for Irish farmers who need to carry out additional investment works in order to meet the requirements of the nitrates directive. I would urge farmers to make the necessary arrangements to ensure that they are ready to avail of the scheme by the proposed implementation date.