Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

160. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications to the 2018 scheme of investment aid for the development of the commercial horticulture sector by county to date, in tabular form; and the number of eligible applicants that have been paid. [25923/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector continues to be the main support for the wider horticulture industry. This State funded scheme of investment aid provides for the development of the commercial horticulture sector by providing grant aid at a rate of 40% (50% in the case of young applicants under 35 years of age) on approved costs associated with capital investment in a broad range of specialised horticultural equipment and buildings that contribute to at least one of the scheme’s four objectives, namely to: improve the quality of output, facilitate environmentally friendly practices, improve working conditions and promote diversification of production.

The scheme is an effective vehicle for investment in all sectors of the horticulture industry, including field vegetables, mushrooms, protected crops, nursery crops, soft fruit/apples, cut foliage, Christmas trees, bulbs and bee-keeping.

In relation to the 2018 scheme, approvals were issued to 170 applicants, which will facilitate grower investment of approximately €13m. The following is a county by county summary of applications received under the scheme for 2018.

The closing date for receipt of claims for payment is 28^thSeptember 2018, therefore most applicants have not yet submitted these and payments are normally made later in the year. However, three applicants have been already paid under the 2018 scheme to date.