Vol. 569 No. 3
173 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if full beef premium payment and extensification will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; when this payment will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17422/03]
The person named applied for premium on 20 animals under the 2002 suckler cow premium scheme. Payment of the 80% advance instalment amounting to €3,478.80 issued on 16 October 2002. This was in respect of 19.4 animals, which is the total number of quota rights on record. When processing the application for balance payment it was found that incorrect movement details for two animals, tag numbers HUA654708 and MWFV0298C were recorded on CMMS. Amendments are now being prepared by the mart involved to rectify this matter. It was also found at an inspection of the herd on 19 March 2003 that occurrences in relation to four animals were not registered on CMMS. The herd owner was notified earlier this month that a resultant penalty would apply because of this non-compliance under paragraph 32 of the terms and conditions of the scheme. The person named contacted the District Livestock Office on 23 June 2003 to inform it that he will be seeking a review and requested in the meantime that the application be processed further on the basis of the findings at inspection. This has now been put through for payment.
The person named applied for premium on 180 animals under the 2002 special beef premium scheme. Of these, one animal was too young for the first age, bull premium category and thus was deleted as an innocent error. Advance payments, at the rate of 80% of premium, have issued in respect of the remaining eligible animals. Following the processing of the inspection details the final balancing payments under the special beef premium scheme will issue shortly subject to a reduction penalty as a result of the CMMS discrepancies outlined above.
The person named was an applicant for 2002 extensification premium under the census system and is eligible for the low rate of €40 per animal. He will be paid the premium shortly after his suckler cow and special beef premium balancing payments have been made.
174 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Clare has not received a slaughter premium despite a commitment on 14 April 2003 that the payment would be made in three or four weeks' time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17446/03]
The person named sold seven animals for slaughter in 2001. These animals were purchased from the person named by a dealer who subsequently slaughtered them under the dealer's number. The tag numbers were out put as query animals under the herd of slaughter. On contacting the special beef premium unit in Portlaoise in April 2003, the person named was informed that the date of sale of the animals on the farm-to-farm movement notification completed by him to record the sale on the cattle movement monitoring system was incorrect. The herd owner was then directed to complete an NBAS 17 correction form for each tag number. These amendments have now been completed and payment of slaughter premium 2001 will shortly issue to the person named.
175 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive the balancing 20% of a suckler cow premium for 2002. [17455/03]
An application for premium on seven animals under the 2002 suckler cow premium scheme was made on 18 February 2002. Payment of the 80% advance instalment issued on 16 October 2002 to the registered herd owner, the spouse of the person named. The application has been processed for payment of the 20% balancing instalment. However, the district veterinary office of my Department has since been informed that the herd owner is deceased. As stated in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 205 on 25 March 2003, payment can only be made on receipt of copy of probate or letters of administration. This has not been received to date, but when contacted recently, the solicitors involved stated that the matter is nearing completion.
176 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the 2002 area aid extensification of a person (details supplied) will be processed to ensure that they receive full payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17473/03]
The person named applied for 2002 extensification premium, opting for the simplified system for determining eligibility. He chose to observe a stocking density of 1.8 livestock units or less per hectare on each and every day of the year. This choice entitled a person to extensification premium at the rate of €40 for each qualifying animal. If a person felt he could observe a lower stocking density limit of less that 1.4 livestock units per hectare, thus establishing entitlement to a payment rate of €80 per animal, he could have altered the choice at any time throughout the year. The person named did not alter his choice before the end of 2002 and was correctly paid €440 extensification premium at the rate of €40 per qualifying animal.
