TWENTY six agricultural food projects are to share grant aid of more than £3 million from FEOGA, the EU agricultural development programme. The projects, which involve a total investment of £10.3 million, will create 104 jobs.
The grants were announced yesterday by the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates. The main areas of activity awarded include the storage and handling of potatoes to ensure quality and availability throughout the year.
Projects involving the modernisation of abattoirs, meat processing plants and mart facilities are the other main beneficiaries.
The biggest single grant goes to Gort Co-operative, Marts Ltd in Co Galway, which is allocated £546,000 for the relocation and modernisation of a livestock mart. The next biggest award £325,000 is for the refurbishment and extension of a boning facility at Irish Country Meats in Clara, Co Offaly.
A grant of £284,184 will go towards the provision of refrigerated potato storage and handling facilities at Harkin Brothers, Bridgend, Co Donegal £250,750 for the construction of a purpose built sheep processing facility at Irish Country Meats, Camolin, Co Wexford £219,417 for extra cooking facilities at Dublin Fine Meats, Blessington, Co Wicklow and £211,020 for upgrading of a storage facility at Meade Potato, Lobinstown, Co Meath.
The rest of the awards, ranging from £34,000 to £127,000, go to projects in Dublin, Kildare, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Wexford, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Offaly, Galway, Meath, Donegal.
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