asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of farmers in the Glenasmole area of County Wicklow who have not yet been paid their 1980 entitlement under the sheep headage payments scheme; the reason for the delay; and when payment will be made.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Grant Payments.
16.
Eight flockowners who presented sheep at Glenasmole under the 1980 sheep headage scheme have yet to be paid their grants. Five of these will be paid shortly. No progress can be made with the remaining three cases until the flockowners concerned furnish replies to queries which have been issued to them.
Why is there such a delay in the payment of these grants, not just in the counties referred to in the question but all over the country?
There would be no delay in processing applications where the information required by the Department is submitted. The delay inevitably would appear to occur when queries are not replied to and matters of that kind. The cases outstanding here in this question refer almost exclusively to instances where unsatisfactory information was given in answering queries from the Department.
17.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the reason for the delay in making payment under the sheep headage payments scheme to a farmer (details supplied) in County Dublin; and when payment will be made.
Participation in the 1980 sheep headage payments scheme was confined to flockowners whose off-farm income did not exceed £4,175 in the tax year ended 5 April 1980. As this flockowner's off-farm income for the year in question exceeded the permitted amount, he was not eligible to participate in the scheme.
18.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the date on which inspections in relation to cattle headage payments were carried out on herds in County Kerry; and the reason for the delay by his Department in this matter.
While there was some delay in commencing inspections, there was no delay in their completion as the full round of inspections under the 1980 cattle headage scheme in County Kerry was completed by 30 November the same date as in the previous year. More payments arising from the inspections were made before 31 December in 1980 than in the previous year.
Is the Minister aware that many farmers, particularly in the Dingle and the Iveragh peninsulas, had to sell their cattle because they were afraid they would not have fodder for the winter? Would the Minister ensure that these inspections, particularly in the western area, will take place in September, rather than late November, as mentioned in his reply?
As the Deputy is aware, there were increased staff numbers in the western areas to deal with very large numbers of applications being submitted under the various schemes which are now available under the auspices of my Department. He will, of course, appreciate that in County Kerry the total number of applications under this scheme is virtually 7,000. From his own experience, he will probably realise the implication of suggesting that these applications could be completed in one month. With the best will in the world, that is not possible. We will do everything we can to process these applications as quickly as possible. On a year to year basis it is quite clear that we have been making substantial progress, in that practically 6,000 of the 7,000 applications were completed by the end of November.
Would the Minister give an assurance to the House that this delay will never again take place? Many farmers lost thousands of pounds because they could not hold on to their cattle until 1 December.
I explained to the Deputy in reasonable detail——
The Minister did not give an assurance.
——that progress has been made. The fact is that there is no delay.
A reading of heads of cattle on 1 December, for goodness sake.
The Deputy could not expect all these applicants' herds to be inspected on the one day.
Employ more men.
19.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that some small farmers are not being paid cattle headage grants because their gross income from off-farm occupations is slightly over the prescribed limit; and if he will have the net income accepted in such cases.
At this stage it would be improper for me to alter the conditions in the 1980 EEC cattle headage payments scheme which restricts participation in the scheme to herdowners whose off-farm income did not exceed £4,175 in the tax year ended 5 April 1980. I am, however, doubtful whether any modification of the off-farm income condition can be made without creating anomalies. For example, if the off-farm income, net of tax, were to be taken it would tend to discriminate in favour of those farmers who have no dependants and are liable to tax and to penalise farmers with many dependants but no liability to tax.
In other words it is a Government figure.