Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 39: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the grant aid which will be made available to small farmers to manage rainwater under the nitrates action plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12057/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The revised farm waste management scheme to enable farmers meet the additional requirements of the nitrates directive was launched by my Department on 24 March 2006. Under the scheme, a standard grant aid is available at a rate of 60% for both animal housing and slurry storage, with 70% being available in the four zone C counties. The maximum eligible investment has also been increased from €75,000 to €120,000 per holding. Further top-up grants are also available for young farmers in certain cases.

The technical specifications for such buildings operated by my Department for the purposes of the scheme require the installation of adequate arrangements for the separation of clean and dirty water as part of the conditions of any new investment. In addition, I have added the installation of guttering on existing buildings as a further new eligible item in the terms of the revised scheme.