asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will indicate the position in relation to the payment of reactor cattle subsidy payments; and if he is aware of delays causing difficulty to landowners in their efforts to replace affected stock.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Reactor Cattle Payments.
15.
Practically 90 per cent of the reactors purchased by my Department under the BTE Scheme during the current season have been paid for. Some delay in making payments is unavoidable especially when as happened in recent months reactors come forward in unexpectedly large numbers over a short period. Every effort is being made by my Department to discharge all unpaid claims as quickly as possible.
Does the Minister appreciate the difficulty of people awaiting payments? They desire to replenish their stocks without delay but they are financially handicapped until such time as these sums are remitted to them.
While appreciating that, I also have to appreciate the difficulties of the Department. For example, when in the period to which I referred, the number of animals collected from this area increased from 50,000 to 85,000, that presented a difficulty, too. We do the best we can to effect payments with the greatest possible speed.