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Ministers Smith and Sargent Announce €16.7 Million Grant-Aid for the Horticulture, Livestock Marts and Small Meat Sectors

€70 Million Investment

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Brendan Smith TD and the Minister for Food and Horticulture, Trevor Sargent TD, today announced details of grant-aid of €16.7 million under the Department's Marketing and Processing Scheme.

The grant-aid will benefit 66 enterprises and is expected to contribute to an actual investment on projects in the region of €70 million across the horticulture, livestock marts and small meat sectors (full details are included in the attached appendix).

Minister Smith described the level of funding being made available as "critically important and a very significant boost for these sectors which will improve the competitiveness and added-value of agricultural products through improved processing facilities as well as improving storage, handling and marketing facilities at 'near farm' enterprises." The Minister said that the investment of €3.6 million in 22 marts will "contribute significantly to environmental improvements."

Apart from the investment in marts, €7.8 million is being invested in 31 projects in the meat sector and a further €5.4 million in 13 horticultural projects.

Minister Smith said that the "geographic spread of the beneficiaries and the proposed overall investments of €70 million will generate significant economic activity throughout the country over the next few years." He added that "this investment will create significant employment during the construction stage of the new facilities and will also create additional job opportunities in the agri-food sector which is so important in generating revenue from export earnings."

Minister Sargent said "This grant aid is a recognition by Government that food security is of fundamental importance to Ireland. The focus of this grant aid is to maintain the competitiveness of Irish agriculture and thereby to ensure the Irish public has on-going access to the freshest, locally grown food in the interests of public health and well-being".

Capital Investment Scheme for Marketing and Processing

Livestock Mart Sector

Capital Investment Scheme for Marketing and Processing

Meat Sector

Capital Investment Scheme for Marketing and Processing

Horticulture Sector

Date Released: 22 December 2008