Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 29 Nov 1988

Vol. 384 No. 8

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

107.

Mr. Kenny

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the amounts paid out in each of the past two years in respect of cattle and sheep headage payments; and if he will give a breakdown of the numbers of recipients in respect of counties.

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. O'Kennedy)

The information is as follows:

Cattle and Equines Headage Scheme

1986 Scheme*	1987 Scheme
County	Number Paid	Amount Paid	No. Paid	Amount Paid
		£m		£m
Carlow	188	0.166	186	0.127
Cavan	1,922	1.519	1,866	1.195
Clare	5,953	5.806	5,732	4.396
Cork	4,876	4.658	4,734	3.307
Donegal	8,442	5.363	7,984	4.437
Dublin	66	0.057	64	0.046
Galway	6,583	4.359	6,346	3.391
Kerry	6,480	5.211	6,215	3.738
Kildare	3	0.003	3	0.002
Laois	193	0.183	188	0.149
Leitrim	3,922	2.945	3,760	2.480
Limerick	1,290	1.131	1,246	0.784
Longford	981	0.741	942	0.570
Louth	81	0.052	77	0.042
Mayo	13,321	9.699	12,864	7.602
Monaghan	1,155	0.874	1,155	0.676
Offaly	85	0.090	82	0.075
Roscommon	4,425	3.606	4,252	2.746
Sligo	4,703	3.859	4,501	2.861
Tipperary	660	0.750	651	0.541
Waterford	401	0.401	387	0.286
Westmeath	—	—	2	0.001
Wexford	80	0.060	90	0.047
Wicklow	566	0.624	584	0.530
Total	66,356	52.157	63,911	40.029

*1986 Scheme includes EC Special Aid to compensate for poor harvest weather in 1986.

Sheep Headage Scheme

1986 Scheme	1987 Scheme
County	Number Paid	Amount Paid	Number Paid	Amount Paid
		£m		£m
Carlow	267	0.216	277	0.237
Cavan	564	0.159	683	0.200
Clare	597	0.067	689	0.090
Cork	982	0.700	1,035	0.731
Donegal	3,862	2.462	3,992	2.597
Dublin	57	0.055	54	0.054
Galway	4,664	1.141	4,958	1.286
Kerry	1,714	1.622	1,753	1.681
Kildare	47	0.054	53	0.059
Kilkenny	124	0.062	139	0.073
Laois	82	0.023	77	0.025
Leitrim	625	0.397	605	0.382
Limerick	33	0.029	44	0.034
Longford	203	0.021	258	0.034
Louth	170	0.138	184	0.161
Mayo	3,448	1.628	3,624	1.721
Meath	36	0.003	37	0.005
Monaghan	244	0.020	297	0.032
Offaly	59	0.015	81	0.023
Roscommon	1,367	0.245	1,508	0.302
Sligo	1,058	0.376	1,141	0.408
Tipperary	229	0.129	257	0.149
Waterford	211	0.225	212	0.233
Westmeath	18	0.001	29	0.002
Wexford	155	0.142	161	0.152
Wicklow	981	1.054	979	1.084
Total	21.797	10.984	23,127	11.755

Beef Cow Scheme

1986 Scheme	1987 Scheme
County	Number Paid	Amount Paid	Number Paid	Amount Paid
		£m		£m
Carlow	45	0.038	51	0.039
Cavan	885	0.383	952	0.496
Clare	298	0.140	299	0.176
Cork	89	0.048	96	0.058
Galway	4,236	1.301	4,170	1.564
Kerry	430	0.256	443	0.303
Kilkenny	266	0.178	302	0.219
Laois	102	0.069	121	0.081
Limerick	53	0.032	53	0.033
Longford	766	0.319	793	0.388
Meath	85	0.040	92	0.050
Monaghan	656	0.276	753	0.376
Offaly	104	0.037	112	0.038
Roscommon	1,142	0.346	1,091	0.395
Tipperary	183	0.113	220	0.147
Waterford	20	0.008	24	0.010
Westmeath	100	0.054	101	0.052
Totals	9,460	3.638	9,673	4.425

108.

Mr. Kenny

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will indicate the nature of changes to be introduced this year in respect of cattle and sheep headage payments; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a great many farmers may lose substantial income as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. O'Kennedy)

There are no further changes to be introduced under the cattle and sheep headage schemes beyond those already published.

Most of the changes introduced for the 1988 headage schemes will be of considerable benefit to many farmers. Before this year the position was that in the more severely handicapped areas beef cows in herds which contained dairy cows could only qualify for up to ten grants at the rate of £32 on the first eight and £28 on the next two while in the less severely handicapped areas beef cows in herds which contained dairy cows could not qualify for any grants. As a result of changes which I introduced in 1988 beef cows suckling calves in herds which contain dairy cows can now qualify for grants of £70 on the first eight and £66 on the remainder — subject to an overall limit of 30 beef cows in the more severely handicapped areas and 28 in the less severely handicapped areas. This measure will be of considerable benefit to farmers affected by the milk superlevy and will help to increase the national cow herd. Another change which I introduced in 1988 provides for the payment in the more severely handicapped areas of headage grants on breeding mares registered in the Irish Horse Register in addition to breeding mares registered with the Connemara Pony Breeders' Society.

One change however in these schemes this year which will lead to reduced payments to some farmers is the new forage area limits system which was introduced at the insistence of the EC because the farmers concerned have stocking rates which were very high for disadvantaged land and which were far in excess of EC criteria for designating handicapped areas.