Enda Kenny
Question:28 Mr. E. Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when cattle headage will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The person named will be paid the balance of his cattle headage grant within the next week.
Enda Kenny
Question:29 Mr. E. Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when sheep headage grants will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
I am arranging for the application of the person named to be reviewed and my Department will communicate with the Deputy within the next week.
Ivan Yates
Question:30 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when beef premium payments will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will expedite these payments.
The person named was not paid the 22 month special beef premium on 39 animals applied on in February 1993 due to age inconsistencies. The month of birth for three of the animals on this application was given as March 1991. On the application he lodged under the ten month special beef premium in December 1992 he described two of these animals as ten months of age and one other as 18 months. As he is deemed to have made a false declaration, he is inteligible for payment of all special beef premium in 1993 or 1994.
Ivan Yates
Question:31 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will backdate the application of the higher rate of TB reactor grant and compensation payments to 1 December 1993, so that farmers such as a person (details supplied) in County Wexford who were totally depopulated due to an outbreak of TB and cannot restock until after 1 April 1994, can have the same compensation as other purchasers who are restocking at the same time; and if he will approve the higher rate for such persons.
Under the disease eradication programmes, reactor grant rates are adjusted periodically in line with market trends.
The recently announced increases in the reactor grants under the bovine TB and brucellosis eradication schemes are retrospective to 1 January 1994 and apply to reactors removed for slaughter on or after that date.
It will be appreciated that a scheme involving adjustment in grant rates necessitates a cut-off point. This applies also of course when grant rates are being reduced.
Michael Creed
Question:32 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a suckler cow grant will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person named was paid a 60 per cent advance under the 1993 suckler cow premium scheme on 29 November 1993 and the balance on 5 May 1994. He applied for grants on eight cows under the 1993 beef cow scheme. He was paid an advance of £315 under this scheme on 3 December 1993. However, since he was overpaid by £367.50 under the 1992 beef cow scheme the balance of £285 payable in respect of the 1993 scheme is being withheld. The outstanding £82.50 will be recouped from future grants due to the herdowner.
Michael Creed
Question:33 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when the 22 month special beef premium will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The application of the person named for grants under the January-February 1993 special beef premium scheme is being processed at present and any payment due will be made within the next few weeks.
Michael Creed
Question:34 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will have arrangements made to pay suckler cow premium to a person (details supplied) in County Cork for all the animals for which he applied in view of the fact that the three animals being excluded are Aberdeen Angus crossbreeds.
The person named applied on 26 cows under the 1993 suckler cow scheme. On the application he declared 19 Friesian cows and seven other beef breeds. The maximum number of non beef breeds which he can be paid on in 1993 is limited to the number of cows on which he was paid premium in 1990 or 1991 whichever was the greater. In his case he was paid on 11 cows in 1990 and 16 cows in 1991. He was therefore limited to 16 non-beef breeds in 1993 and is therefore ineligible for payment on the remaining three cows which he described as Friesian on his application.
Jim Higgins
Question:35 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason for the delay in the payment of outstanding livestock grants to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
The person named was paid advances of his 1993 cattle headage grant and suckler cow premium grant on 26 November 1993. These applications are being processed further at present and any balances due will be paid in the near future. His application for the November-December 1993 special beef premium is being processed at present and any payment due will be made shortly.
Paul Bradford
Question:36 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the amount of moneys outstanding to a person (details supplied) in County Cork in respect of his 1993 applications for beef premia payments; the reason for this delay; and when payment will issue.
The person named has already been paid full grants under the January-February and June 1993 special beef premium schemes. He did not apply for grants under the special beef premium scheme in the November 1993 application period.
Paul Bradford
Question:37 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry with reference to Parliamentary Question No. 105 of 13th April 1994, if a decision has been made on an application for a January 1993 special beef premium from a person (details supplied) in County Cork; if so, the amount due to this person; and when payment will issue.
The problem with the applications of the person named for grants under the January/February and June 1993 special beef premium schemes has now been resolved and payments amounting to £1,845.55 will be made shortly.
Paul Bradford
Question:38 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason persons (details supplied) in County Cork were refused payment under the 1993 area aid scheme in spite of the fact that their respective land holdings are almost twenty miles apart and that one of these holdings is owned by one of the applicants and the other holding is rented by the second applicant; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that they would have been eligible for more rather than less area aid compensation if they had lodged a joint application on a set-aside basis; if he will review their application; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The two enterprises in question were farmed jointly as a single holding in 1992 and 1993. Under the EU arable area payments scheme applicants claiming aid on excess of 15.13 hectares of eligible crops are obliged to set-aside 15 per cent of their area. Under EU rules no payments can be made as the area on which both claims were made was in excess of 15.13 hectares and no land was set-aside.
Furthermore, under the EU regulations only one application is permitted for land which was operated as a single holding, irrespective of its tenancy status, prior to 30 June 1992. However, where two or more applications are submitted under the arable area simplified scheme in respect of a single holding, the EU will allow payment as an exception in 1993 on these claims if the total area of all the claims is below the threshold for the simplified scheme (i.e. less than 15.13 hectares). This was not the case with the two claims in question.
Paul Bradford
Question:39 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be awarded an extra suckler cow quota under the national reserve scheme.
Details of applications for suckler cow reserve quota are being recorded on computer at present and it is too early to say if any particular applicant will be allocated reserve quota.
The processing of these applications will commence within the next three weeks.
P. J. Sheehan
Question:40 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive payment of his 22 month beef premium for which he applied in January 1993.
The person named applied for special beef premium on 31 animals on 29 January 1993. His application is being processed at present and if found in order payment will be made within the next two weeks.