Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:146 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if payment of a reactor grant will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
Reactor grants due to the person named will be paid in the near future.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:147 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when he will grant an increased milk quota to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
Under the terms of the decisions which I recently announced on the allocation of the 11 million gallons of quota, the person named would appear to be eligible to qualify as a small scale producer.
I have arranged for an application form and explanatory memorandum on the scheme to be forwarded to him. The completed application form must be with my Department by 28 February 1990.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:148 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when he intends issuing the remainder of a headage grant to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
This applicant has already received a 70 per cent advance payment under the 1989 cattle and equine headage scheme. Payments covering the balance payable under that scheme and the full amounts due to him under the 1989 suckler cow, calf and special beef premium schemes are being processed and will issue shortly.
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Question:149 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a farm modernisation grant will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
This grant will be paid as soon as possible.
John O'Donoghue
Question:150 Mr. O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will increase the premium and headage for ewes and sheep; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The rate of EC ewe premium applicable in Ireland for any particular marketing year is fixed by the EC on the basis of the loss of income suffered by producers in this country by reference to the difference between the average market price for sheepmeat here and the EC basis price during the marketing year in question and to certain stabilizing mechanisms. I have no function therefore, in regard to fixing the level of the EC ewe premium. I would point out, however that the 50 per cent advance of 1989 ewe premium at £9.50 seems to forecast a 1989 ewe premium of around £19 as compared to the 1988 ewe premium of £17.40. Furthermore I was pleased to note the EC Commission's proposal in the current price negotiations to increase the ewe premium payable to sheep farmers in disadvantaged areas from 1991 by about £3.50 per ewe and I intend to do everything in my power to have this proposal adopted.
The question of increasing sheep headage payment rates in our disadvantaged areas is one that will be considered in the overall context of the headage schemes generally when the extension-reclassification of our disadvantaged areas is agreed by the EC.