Cash limits in grant schemes overhaul

THE “first-come, first served” principle for grant aid has been dropped by the Department of Agriculture for all future schemes.

Following a radical overhaul, all new schemes introduced will be subject to cash limits, careful evaluation of scheme applications and the application of selection criteria to ensure better targeting.

The secretary-general of the department, Tom Moran, said: “This approach will ensure the targeting of schemes towards particular groups of farmers, with a view to obtaining optimum value for money. This approach also will guarantee that in future, the financial ceilings fixed for schemes cannot be exceeded.”