Jim Higgins
Question:181 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason for the delay in the payment of a sheep headage grant to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
Applications under the sheep headage and ewe premium schemes must be over 18 years of age. The person named applied under the 1992 schemes in March 1992 but as he was then under 18 years he was not eligible.
Michael P. Kitt
Question:182 Mr. M. Kitt asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when cattle headage grants and other grants will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person named has been already paid all grants due to him under the 1992 cattle and equines headage, suckler cow premum, June 1992 special beef premium, sheep headage and ewe premium schemes.
Gerard C. Connolly
Question:183 Mr. Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if a person (details supplied) in County Offaly is entitled to a larger quota as the former occupier transferred all quotas to this person in writing in 1991 and was paid in 1992 for the larger number.
The relevant EC Regulations provide that a producer who applied for ewe premium in 1992 and who inherited or took over the holding of another producer who received the premium in 1991 but subsequently ceased sheep farming permanently and did not apply for the premium 1992 may be granted the quota which the retired producer would have received had he/she remained in sheep production and applied for the premium under the 1992 scheme.
The person named was paid ewe premium in 1991 and also applied for the premium in 1992 and has been granted a ewe premium quota of 293 full ewe premium rights. When he submits documentary evidence as proof that he took over the holding of another producer who had received the premium in 1991 and ceased sheep farming in 1992 he will be allocated an increased quota based on the number of ewes on which that producer was paid premium in 1991 less a reduction for the national reserve.
Phil Hogan
Question:184 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a land reclamation grant will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
I expect that this grant will be paid inside the next two weeks.
John Ellis
Question:185 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will make suckler and headage payments to persons (details supplied) in County Leitrim.
The first person named was paid the first, second and third instalments of his 1992 ewe premium scheme grants at the end of July 1992, mid-November 1992 and mid-March 1993, respectively, and his 1992 sheep headage scheme grant in mid-October 1992. His 1992 cattle headage and suckler cow premium schemes applications were rejected when subjected to a computer validation check because one of the entries on the computer input document was incorrect. The problem has been resolved and payment under both schemes will be made within the next forthnight. He did not apply in the June-July or November-December applications periods for the 1992 special beef premium scheme.
The second person named withdrew his 1992 ewe premium and sheep headage schemes applications. Further investigation is necessary to establish his eligibility for grants under the 1992 cattle headage and suckler cow premium schemes as he has failed to produce the cattle identity cards for some of the cows for which he applied for headage and premium grants. His application for June 1992 special beef premium scheme grants was delayed because of the cattle headage and suckler cow query described above but it was, however, paid at the end of May 1993. He did not apply for grants in the November-December application period for the special beef premium scheme.
The third person named was not an applicant under any of the 1992 sheep schemes. He was paid part of his 1992 cattle headage and all of his suckler cow premium and June special beef premium schemes grants in early November, mid-November and early December 1992 respectively. The balance of his 1992 cattle headage was paid in mid December 1992. He did not apply for grants in the November-December application period for special beef premium scheme. He was debarred from the 1990 and 1991 suckler cow premium scheme as he included in-calf heifers in his 1990 suckler-cow premium application.
The fourth person named was not an applicant under any of the 1992 sheep schemes. His applications for grants under the 1992 cattle and equines headage scheme and the suckler cow premium scheme cannot be approved as my Department is not satisfied that six of the ten animals on which grants were claimed as cows were actually cows at the date of application. Unless he can produce satisfactory evidence that they were cows no grants can be paid under either scheme. He was paid June 1992 special beef premium scheme grants in mid-November 1992. He did not apply for grants in the November-December application period for this scheme.
The fifth person named was not an applicant for grants under any of the 1992 sheep schemes. Further investigation is necessary to establish his eligibility for grants under the 1992 cattle headage and suckler cow premium schemes as he did not present for inspection all the cows on which he had applied for headage and premium grants. He was paid June 1992 special beef premium scheme grants in mid-November 1992 and his November-December 1992 application is being processed and if found in order payment will be made as soon as possible.
Séamus Hughes
Question:186 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a beef premium for 1992 will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo in view of the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 200 on 4 May 1993.
In the reply to the parliamentary question in this case on 4 May 1993 it was indicated that payment would be made as soon as possible. Following further checking and correction the application was re-submitted to a computer validation check but was rejected again because of another invalid tag number. This problem is being dealt with at present and should there be no further problem, that payment will issue shortly.
Séamus Hughes
Question:187 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when two instalments of sheep premia for 1992 will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
Payment of 1992 ewe premium and sheep headage to the person named was delayed because his herd number was cancelled subsequent to this application as he no longer had bovine animals, He has since been allocated a specific sheep flock number and payment will be made shortly.
Brendan Kenneally
Question:188 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a sheep subsidy will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
All payments due under the 1992 ewe premium have been made to the person named. He was not eligible for grants under the 1992 sheep headage scheme as he did not farm and occupy 7½ acres in the disadvantaged areas as is required under the scheme.