Vol. 442 No. 5
17 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will examine the case of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford who was unable to apply for sheep quota in 1992 because of illness; and if he will allow this person's family the quota which he was allocated in 1991.
The EU regulations provide for ewe premium quotas to be based on the number of ewes on which a producer was paid premium in 1991 provided that the producer also applied for premium in 1992.
The late person named had no quota entitlement because no application for ewe premium was made in 1992.
The EU regulations also provide for the establishment of a national reserve for allocation to certain categories of producers. The spouse of the late person named applied for an allocation of quota from the reserve and was granted 14 premium rights based on the number of ewes on which she applied for premium in 1993. Successful applicants for reserve quota were limited to the number of ewes on which they applied for premium in 1993 because, under EU regulations, a producer who obtained premium rights free of charge from the national reserve is required to use all of his or her premium rights during the three following marketing years. My Department has no record of having received an application for ewe premium in 1994 from the spouse of the late person named.
This is a classic case of red tape going berserk. Is the Minister aware that the man in question had a terminal illness and was extremely ill throughout 1992 until his death in May of that year? How can the Minister expect a man who was so ill to apply for this sheep quota? He applied for and was allocated a quota in 1991, when his health was reasonably good. The family are not asking for the 1992 quota or any major concessions; they are requesting the granting of the 1991 quota on compassionate grounds and I cannot understand why this cannot be allowed.
I accept Deputy Deasy's strong feeling in relation to this case. On the examination of the rules as they apply, there is no way of meeting this request. Following the Deputy's representations, however, I will reconsider the matter and get back to the Deputy.
I am grateful to the Minister.
This case is not the only one of its type and I ask the Minister——
It is the only one before us, Deputy. Deputy Deasy tabled a specific question.
——to seriously consider the issue Deputy Deasy has raised here, namely that problems of serious illness should be taken into account by the Minister and his Department.
