Edward Nealon
Question:104 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he intends that payments under the various livestock headage and premium schemes will be index-linked in future years.
Written Answers. - Index-Linking of Schemes.
There are no proposals to index link payments under either the headage or livestock premia schemes. However, the position as regards the livestock premia schemes is as follows. The special beef premium will be increased to 75 ECU in 1994 and to 90 ECU in 1995 from its present level of 60 ECU. The suckler cow premium will be increased from its present level of 90 ECU to 115 ECU in 1994 and to 140 ECU in 1995. The annual ewe premium is calculated on the basis of the average Community fall in income when the EC average market price is compared with the EC basic price for sheepmeat for the year in question.
With regard to the compensatory headage payments made under the Structural Funds, the position is that the Government will decide shortly on the allocations for each Government Department, including the amount to be allocated to headage in the next round of the Structural Funds which will cover the period 1994-99.