Vol. 545 No. 3
25 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the number of suckler cow quotas for distribution in 2001; the number of applications received; the number of farmers who received additional quotas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30181/01]
There were 2,541 suckler cow quota premium rights in the 2002 national reserve for distribution in 2001. Some 3,035 farmers applied for an allocation of reserve quota of which 332 have been allocated 2,449 premium rights. Queries relating to the applications of a further 36 applicants have yet to be resolved and the remaining 92 premium rights are held pending the resolution of those queries.
The maximum national quota allowed under European Union regulations is 1,102,620 premium rights. The amount of quota available in the national reserve is the difference between that figure and the sum of the individual quotas held by farmers. The categories of farmers to whom priority should be given when allocating premium rights from the national reserve are determined annually.
The quota review group, comprising representatives of the major farm organisations, that is, the IFA, ICMSA, Macra na Feirme, as well as representatives of Teagasc and this Department, met in July this year and put forward proposals, which I accepted, regarding allocations of suckler cow quota from the 2002 national reserve.
