Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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361. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a grant for the establishment of a new farmer (details supplied) in County Donegal can be processed in the absence of a quota of €50,000 litres where the person in question was denied a quota under the new entrant scheme and has applied through the trading scheme; if he is satisfied that the milk quota arrangements in place are advantageous to new farmers; if he intends to introduce new measures in this area in order to facilitate new entrants to farming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51894/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The TAMS Dairy Equipment Scheme, which closes for applications at the end of this year (2013), requires individual farmers to have between 50,000 litres and 1 million litres of milk quota at the time of application in order to be eligible for grant-aid.

The determination of the farm sectors in which investment aid will be made available in the next rural development programme, including the possibility of further grant-aid in relation to the purchase of dairy equipment, is currently being considered within my Department.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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362. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a dairy farmer (details supplied) in County Donegal was refused a quota under the new entrant scheme; the number of farmers in County Donegal who have applied under this scheme for a quota; the number granted a quota and details of the amount of quota granted; the number refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51895/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Over the five years of the New Entrants to Dairying Scheme eligible applications have been received from some 800 farmers and milk quota been allocated to 410 successful applicants. Within that time frame five eligible applications have been received from farmers in Co. Donegal, two of whom were successful each receiving an annual quota allocation of 200,000 litres.

The person named by the deputy was an applicant in the 2013 Scheme but his application was unsuccessful. The Assessment Panel considered that the Business Plan and supporting documents submitted by him were not as strong as those received from other applicants in demonstrating that the level of resources, in the form of land and buildings, were available to establish an efficient and sustainable dairy enterprise.