asked the Minister for Agriculture if he intends to pay an increase in sheep headage payments to coincide with the increase in cattle headage payments.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Sheep Headage Payments.
6.
On a livestock unit basis payment rates under the disadvantaged areas schemes are already much higher for sheep (£63) than for cattle other than beef cows even after allowing for the recent increase to £50 in the rates for those cattle. The sheep rate does not include the EC ewe premium which for 1986 is likely to be over £130 per livestock unit equivalent to about £20 per ewe.
Would the Minister consider increasing the amount, because this involves one of our most valuable export markets? We should encourage people through subsidies to rear more sheep. Farmers are entitled to an increase in view of the past two bad years of losses in regard to mountain sheep.
I want to put on the record of the House that, as far as the subsidies to sheep farmers are concerned, they were never higher than at present. I do not want to trot out all the figures here but I might say that each breeding ewe will qualify for £20 in the current year. In addition, in the headage areas, the top rate is £9.50 per ewe. When one considers that, by way of our method of calculation there are allowed six ewes per acre, then one realises that one is talking about an awful lot of money, just over £63 per livestock unit. When one equally understands that there is no upper ceiling on the ewe premium, then one realises that one is talking about an awful lot of money in the sheep industry. It must be a terribly important area to be able to capture that sort of financial aid. That is one of the reasons, along with others, that we have been experiencing a 10 per cent increase in our ewe numbers each year, which speaks for itself.
Would the Minister say what percentage of the ewe premium it is envisaged will be paid prior to 1 January next?
We had hoped that we would have paid out about 60 per cent but we are making other payments at present also so it would be very difficult for me to say exactly what percentage would be paid them. I will put it another way: we decided on this occasion to increase the payment, without an inspection, from 50 per cent to 75 per cent, in other words, for the first time every farmer will receive £13.50 per breeding ewe. I can assure the House that all of that will reach the vast majority of farmers before the middle of January, that is as near as I can predict.
How can the Minister reconcile that position in view of commitments he has given over the past few months that advance ewe premiums would be paid before Christmas 1986? Can the Minister give any indication of the amount of money that will be paid out before Christmas, if any, and confirm whether a verbal directive has been given to the accounts section of his Department that no advance payments will be made before Christmas because of the budgetary position?
The budgetary position has nothing whatever to do with this matter. It is obvious that the Deputy was not aware of that. I cannot predict the exact percentage that will be paid. What I am saying is that, before the middle of January, everybody will have received their money.
Can the Minister say why such confusion exists in certain disadvantaged areas with regard to sheep headage payments, some people within an area qualifying and others not. It would appear that those who manage their farms and keep their soil in good condition——
The Deputy has asked a question and he should await a reply without advancing an argument in favour of something else. I am asking why that situation obtains and——
That is a separate question and a long story.
No answer.
It is connected with the status of a particular farm in so far as the designation of areas is concerned. If the Deputy brings to my notice any areas where such problems obtain I will endeavour to iron them out for him.
A Cheann Comhairle, could we make some progress? There are questions on this Order Paper relating to the milk cessation scheme which will have a very serious effect on your constituency, Sir, and mine. This will be the last opportunity afforded us of asking questions prior to the introduction of this scheme which will have very serious effects. I would request that there be some progress made.
Deputy J. Leonard has my sympathy. However, I think he will agree that I am doing my best. I hope that all Deputies in the House will co-operate.