Vol. 416 No. 7
58 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will confirm that applicants for the 1991 special beef premium scheme who, through financial pressure had to dispose of some of their animals before inspection, will be paid the premium in respect of the balance of their herd.
The EC regulations governing the special beef premium scheme specify that where the number of animals found at inspection is less than the number applied for no premium is payable unless the reduction is attributable to natural circumstances affecting the herd or force majeure and the reduction is notified to my Department within ten days, or unless the reduction is confined to one animal in herds of up to 40 animals and to less than 5 per cent in herds with between 41 and 90 animals. In cases where the reduction is within the limits stated and there are no other irregularities in the claim premium may be paid on the remaining animals in the herd at 80 per cent of the normal rate provided there is no indication of fraud.
In August 1991 the then Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy O'Kennedy, announced a concession under the special beef premium scheme which allowed farmers who wished to sell cattle before field or office inspection but after the minimum two months retention period to bring the cattle identity cards of the animals which they wished to sell to their local office of my Department for checking, stamping and punching. This concession preserved entitlement to premium on the animals sold.
Any farmer who disposed of cattle before inspection through financial pressure and who did not avail of the concession can be paid premium on his or her remaining animals only if the EC requirements to which I have already referred are met and then at the reduced rate of 80 per cent.
The sale of animals through financial pressure is not seen by the EC as constituting disposal or loss through "natural circumstances affecting the herd" or through an acceptable force majeure reason.
