asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will consider increasing the headage payments for both cattle and sheep in the disadvantaged areas by at least 100 per cent.
560.
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
559.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will consider increasing the off-farm income limit from £3,500 to £7,000 to enable farmers in the disadvantaged areas to qualify for all headage payments in 1984.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 559 and 560 together.
Because of budgetary constraints it is not possible to double the existing headage rates or off-farm income eligibility level for the cattle and sheep schemes in the disadvantaged areas. It should also be borne in mind that the raising of the off-farm income limit would mean that less money would be available for livestock owners who are wholly or mainly dependent on farming.
561.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if a land reclamation grant under the farm modernisation scheme will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
This is a case of an application under the programme for western development. The grant has been paid.
562.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has not been paid his EEC conversion scheme as he applied in late 1978.
The person in question applied for a grant under the non-marketing of milk scheme in January 1978 but was informed in April 1978 that he was ineligible because he had stopped supplying milk long before he had applied to join the scheme.
563.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if investigations have been carried out in connection with the granting of a herd number and payment of headage grants to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will give a decision on the matter.
It has been decided to grant the person named a herd number and he will accordingly be paid his 1982 and 1983 suckler cow and 1983 calf premiums shortly.
Because his land is rented entirely on the 11 months grazing system he is being asked, however, to prove to the satisfaction of my Department that he can comply with the undertaking given under the 1982 and 1983 cattle headage scheme in the disadvantaged areas that he would remain in farming for five years. If he does so payment of grants under these schemes will also be made to him.
564.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will arrange for immediate payment of a calf subsidy grant to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person named was overpaid in error in respect of calves born in the first half of 1983 and an adjustment will be made when payments on calves born in the second half of 1983 commence next month.
565.
asked the Minister for Agriculture when a heifer subsidy payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The heifer on which the person named is claiming a calved heifer grant was not listed on his application form and accordingly it is ineligible for consideration under the scheme.