Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 351: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the details of the on-farm investment grant aid scheme announced for sheep farmers on 16 May 2007; the dates on which this investment grant aid package opened; the date on which it was closed by him; the number of farmers who applied; the amount of investment grant aid paid out under the scheme to sheep farmers; the proposals he has to rectify the problems in this area and make investment grant aid available to farmers again in the sheep sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17401/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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On 16 May 2007, a comprehensive package of aid measures was announced for the sheep sector in Ireland, including a specific range of grants to encourage on-farm investment in that sector. These grants were made available to sheep farmers under the Farm Improvement Scheme which was introduced on 12 July 2007. The Scheme was suspended for new applications on 31 October 2007 as applications received had reached the level of funding provided for the Scheme under the 2006 Partnership agreement, Towards 2016. 12,675 applications were received by my Department by the closing date. To date, €836,849 has been paid out to farmers under the Scheme. It is not possible to identify the amount of grant-aid paid out specifically to the sheep sector.

I have no plans at present to re-open the Farm Improvement Scheme to new applications.