Vol. 438 No. 4
167 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the criteria that are being used in relation to the allocation of additional sheep quota from the national reserve; the account, if any, that is taken of illness and infirmity and other factors which prevented farmers having their usual number of sheep at the operative dates; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The criteria used in relation to the allocation of ewe premium quota from the national reserve are embodied in the terms and conditions governing such allocations. As these are quite lengthy, I have arranged to send a copy to the Deputy directly. Exceptional circumstances, which include illness and infirmity, are taken into account in deciding reserve quota allocations if it can be shown that such circumstances contributed to a farmer having a lesser number of sheep in the relevant reference year.
