Donal Carey
Question:133 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be paid a beef premium; and when the file was passed from the Ennis office of his Department.
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The application of the person named for grants under the 1992 special beef premium scheme was rejected when subjected to a computer validation check as one of the tag numbers was invalid. The problem is being resolved at present. It is expected that payment will be made within a fortnight.
The application was first passed from the Ennis office on 24 December, 1992. He did not apply for grants under this scheme in the November/December, application period.
Michael Creed
Question:134 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the up-to-date position with regard to an application for a sheep quota by a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The relevant EC Regulations provide for ewe premium quotas to be based on the number of ewes on which a producer was paid the premium in 1991 provided that the producer also applied for the premium in 1992.
The person named is not automatically entitled to a quota because he did not apply for premium in 1991 or 1992. However the EC Regulations also provide for the establishment of a national reserve and a special reserve for the disadvantaged areas for allocation to certain categories of producers. My Department will be announcing the criteria for the allocation of those reserves in the next few weeks. The person named can then submit a formal application, along with supporting documentation, for reserve quota to my Department at Michael Davitt House, Castlebar.
Jimmy Deenihan
Question:135 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a beef premium payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The person named has recently been paid his grants under the June 1992 special beef premium scheme. His December 1992 application for grants under the special beef premium scheme is being processed at present and, if found in order, payment will be made as soon as possible.
The reason for the delay in processing the June 1992 application was the presence of an invalid tag number on the application.
Mary Coughlan
Question:136 Miss Coughlan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when payment of a cattle headage grant will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The late husband of the person named is the registered herdowner in this case. When the person named submits either Letters of Administration Intestate or Probate of Will her application for grants under the 1992 cattle and equines headage and suckler cow premium schemes will be processed further. She did not apply for grants under the special beef premium scheme in the June 1992 and December 1992 application periods.
Pádraic McCormack
Question:137 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry his policy regarding the selling of sites from agricultural colleges, particularly, in County Galway.
Under the Agriculture (Reserch, Training and Advice) Act, 1988, Teagasc are given responsibility for the provision of educational, training and advisory services in agriculture. The Act provides that Teagasc may dispose of assets subject to sanction of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
Decisions by Teagasc to dispose of sites or other assets are made in order to provide resources for the capital needs of the organisation. These arise because of its mandate to deliver cost effective and relevant services in research, training and advice in the agriculture and food industries.
John Ellis
Question:138 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will now pay headage grants due to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim.
The person named has been paid his grants under the 1992 cattle and equines headage and suckler cow premium schemes. He did not apply for grants under the special beef premium scheme in the June 1992 or December 1992 application periods.
Alan M. Dukes
Question:139 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason payment of a beef premium to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare was only made in respect of two cattle when four cattle were inspected and approved by his Department's veterinary officer and that no premium was previously drawn on the two cattle in question since they were purchased as calves.
The person named applied for grants on four animals in the June 1992 special beef premium scheme application period. Two of the animals on which he applied for premium had already received premium in his own herd under the 1991 special beef premium scheme. As a result the person named was eligible for 1992 premium only on the other two animals and those grants were paid to him in late February, 1993.
The application of the person named for grants under the December 1992 special beef premium scheme is being processed at present and, if found in order, payment will be made as soon as possible.