John Browne
Question:16 Mr. Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive payment of beef premium.
Ceisteanna — Questions Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The application of the person named for grants under the January-February 1993 special beef premium scheme was rejected at a computer validation check because of age inconsistencies. The problem has now been resolved and payment will be made shortly.
Donal Carey
Question:17 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be paid his farm development grant; and when this file was passed from the Ennis office of his Department.
This person's file was received in my Department's office in Cavan on 11 April. Payments are normally made within six to eight weeks of receipt and I expect that payment in this case will be made within that period.
Jimmy Deenihan
Question:18 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when November 1992 special beef premium will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry in view of the fact that this has been cleared for payment by the local office for some time.
The application of the person named for grants under the December 1992 special beef premium scheme was rejected at a computer validation check because of an invalid tag number. The problem has now been resolved and payment will be made within a fortnight.
Donal Carey
Question:19 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be paid his 1993 headage and beef premia; and when these files were passed from the Ennis office of his Department.
The application from the person named under the 1993 cattle headage scheme is being processed at present and payment will be made within the next fortnight. He applied in 1993 for suckler cow premium on five animals but was not eligible as the cows applied on were Friesians and were therefor not acceptable as suckler cows under the EU regulations. He also applied for ten month special beef premium on one animal in June 1993. It was found that premium had already been paid in respect of this animal, however. He did not apply under the January-February or November 1993 special beef premium schemes.
Donal Carey
Question:20 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a person (details supplied) will be paid his June 1993, beef premium and 1993 suckler cow premium; and when these files were passed from the Ennis office of his Department.
Donal Carey
Question:21 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be paid her headage and suckler cow premium; and when these files were passed from the Ennis office of his Department.
I propose taking Questions Nos. 20 and 21 together.
The persons named are not registered owners of the herd number quoted.
However, the application for June 1993 special beef premium under the herd number quoted has been paid in full.
The registered herdowner cannot be paid any 1993 suckler cow premium as he has no quota at present. If, however, he succeeds in obtaining a quota from the national reserve his 1993 suckler cow application will then be considered. His application for the 1993 cattle headage scheme is being processed at present and any payment due will be made in the near future.
Jim Higgins
Question:22 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason for the delay in the payment of 22 month premium and slaughter premium to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo who made application for these in January 1993.
Processing of the applications from the person named under the January-February 1993 special beef premium scheme and the 1993 deseasonalisation slaughter premium scheme was delayed due to invalid tag numbers listed on both applications. These errors are being corrected at present and payment will be made within the next two weeks.
Jim Higgins
Question:23 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not received any suckler grant for 1993; and the reason the outstanding balance of 1993 headage grants have still not been paid to him.
The application of quota premium rights to herdowners paid anually under the 1992 suckler cow premium scheme is proceeding at present. This work will be completed shortly, after which the application of the person named for grants under the 1993 suckler cow scheme can be processed and any payment due issued.
The person named was paid an advance of the 1993 cattle headage on 26 November 1993 and the balance on 22 April 1994.
Michael Creed
Question:24 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be paid the remainder of his cattle headage grant.
The person named was paid an advance of his 1993 cattle headage grant on 27 November 1993. His application is being processed further at present and any balance due will be paid in the near future.
Michael Creed
Question:25 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if a person is entitled to beef premium where the cattle identity cards on the animals ear have not been punched.
It is a condition of the special beef premium scheme that cattle identity cards must be punched and stamped and that animals' ears must be punched.
However for the January-February 1993 application period payment of premium will be considered in cases of applicants whose cattle identity cards were not punched if: (a) such male cattle had been maintained by the applicant for any appropriate retention period; (b) documentary proof of slaughter or of export to a country outside the EU is provided to his-her local office by the applicant, and (c) such male cattle were eligible for payment in all other respects.
Michael Creed
Question:26 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will have arrangements made to pay slaughter premium to a person (details supplied) in County Cork which is being refused for administrative reasons; and his views on whether his Department's staff in meat factories should advise farmers with regard to eligibility for slaughter premium.
The person named cannot be paid deseasonalisation slaughter premium because he did not lodge an application under this scheme in 1993. Since many animals are taken to slaughter plants by persons other than their owners it is considered that the best method of conveying information to farmers on the deseasonalisation slaughter premium scheme is through advertisement in the local and national press. Due to pressure of work at factory intake points where frequently there are long queues it is not considered practical to embark on an information campaign at such points.
Michael Creed
Question:27 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be paid his area aid grant.
The person named lodged a 1933 area aid application on which he declared all his land as forage area. The lodgment of an area aid application in respect of forage area is merely a declaration of forage area and does not in itself entitle a herdowner to any payment.
The person named did not apply for any livestock grants under the headage and premia schemes in 1993 as required under the EU regulations if any payment is to be considered.
Enda Kenny
Question:28 Mr. E. Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason a suckler grant has not received by a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
The person named is not the registered owner of the herdnumber quoted.
However, the person named has already been paid a 60 per cent advance under the 1993 suckler cow premium scheme on 25 November 1993 on foot of a different herdnumber. His application is being processed further at present and any balance due will be paid shortly.
Paul Bradford
Question:29 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive payment of 1993 special beef premium.
The person named has been paid full grants under the January-February 1993 special beef premium scheme. His application for grants under the June 1993 special beef premium scheme is being processed at present and payment will be made shortly. He did not apply for grants under the special beef premium scheme in the November 1993 application period.
Frank Crowley
Question:30 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a beef premium will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person named applied for the ten month special beef premium scheme on 29 animals in June 1993. There were 15 invalid tag numbers listed on his application. A letter has been issued to him by the special beef premium unit seeking clarification on this matter. If and when a satisfactory explanation is received the application will be processed further.
Frank Crowley
Question:31 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when the balance of suckler cow grant will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The application of the person named for grants under the 1993 suckler cow premium scheme is being processed and payment will issue within the next two weeks.
Frank Crowley
Question:32 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive payment from his Department following the sale of a sheep quota.
My Department is not involved in the purchase of ewe premium quotas. Premium rights are transferred — leased between individual flockowners subject to Departmental approval. Once that approval is given the auctioneer involved can arrange for payment. Two applications received from the person named seeking approval to transfer ewe premium rights for 1994 will be processed within the next two weeks.