Michael Creed
Question:193 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if a national reserve has been established under the suckler cow quota scheme; and, if so, the way in which it is intended to allocate this reserve.
Written Answers. - Suckler Cow Quota Scheme.
Michael Creed
Question:194 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry whether the national quota for suckler cows has been established; and, if so, if he will indicate the size of this.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together. EC Regulations provide for individual producers quotas rather than national quotas in the suckler cow premium scheme. The individual producers quotas are based on the number of suckler cows in respect of which the premium was paid in 1992. As applications for the suckler cow scheme were accepted up to the end of 1992 and as the retention period for the scheme is six months, it will not be possible for some time yet, to indicate the total number of suckler cows which received the premium in 1992.
The EC Regulations provide for the establishment of a national reserve quota equal to at least 1 per cent and at most 3 per cent of the sum of the individual quotas allocated to producers. I will confirm the details of the national reserve at the earliest possible date.