Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Feb 1993

Vol. 426 No. 1

Written Answers. - Sheep Subsidies.

Godfrey Timmins

Question:

156 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the number of farmers who applied for and were paid sheep subsidies in each of the years 1990 to 1992; the quota which has been allocated to Ireland in 1991; the amount of quota which is available as a result of farmers who applied in 1991 but did not apply in 1992; the total number of farms involved throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. J. Walsh)

The numbers of farmers who were to date paid the ewe premium under the 1990, 1991 and 1992 ewe premium schemes are as follows:—

Year	No. of Farmers Paid	No. of Ewes
1990	51,707	4.6m.
1991	52,344	4.8m.
1992	52,519	4.8m.

These figures may be subject to change as there are still some outstanding claims in respect of those years which have not yet been finalised.

The introduction of quotas for individual farmers is a feature of the Common Agricultural Policy reform and is applicable from the current year. Ireland has selected 1991 as the reference year for establishing ewe premium quotas. However, the regulations provide that in certain circumstances quotas may be based on ewe numbers in an earlier reference year; as my Department is therefore not yet in a position to establish quotas for individual producers, it is not possible to provide the remainder of the information requested at present.