Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 5 Feb 1992

Vol. 415 No. 4

Written Answers. - Grant Payments Information.

Enda Kenny

Question:

105 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the position in regard to the payment of cattle headage grants whereby Oireachtas Members, having checked at local office level regarding batch numbers and date of dispatch to Dublin for actual payment, are then being refused by his Department any further information by telephone regarding dates of payments; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that this lack of information seriously disrupts agricultural planning on thousands of farms; if he will take the necessary steps to see that this information is made available on request; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Dr. Woods)

I am endeavouring to ensure that problems which, in the past, have delayed payments of headage and other livestock premiums are eliminated. In that way payments will be made earlier in the year and fewer claims will be delayed by queries. This should reduce the need for Oireachtas Members and others to check on the state of play in regard to individual cases.

Where such inquiries have, however, to be made I have arranged for them to be answered as quickly as possible, having regard to the need not to unduly divert the limited staff involved from the primary task of making the payments.

Such inquiries should be addressed to the relevant local office which can obtain the required information both where the application is still being processed locally or where it has been passed for validation and payment to the computer division in Dublin.