Vol. 451 No. 6
110 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when his Department will commence payment of 1994 extensification grants; the reason the commitment given in the reply to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 222 and 223 of 7 February 1995 has not been fulfilled; and when payment for these schemes will be finalised. [7034/95]
Payment of 1994 extensification premium is starting this week. Such payments could not commence until now because processing of the November 1994 special beef and suckler cow premium applications had first to be progressed so as to provide all necessary information for calculating the amount of extensification premium due to any farmer. Payments in respect of November applications have commenced with some £22 million already paid out to farmers.
Payment of extensification premium will continue in the coming weeks and in any event will be completed by 30 June as required by EU Regulations.
112 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a significant number of farmers in this country who had signed forms for the payment of private afforestation grants directly to the planting contractor employed by them now find that a subsequent increase in grants by the EU for afforestation under the CAP reform is being paid by his Department to the contractors instead of the farmers in spite of the fact that the contractors have already received their contract price in full; if he will have the matter examined; and if he will ensure that the increase in the grant is paid to the farmers rather than to the contractors who have already received the moneys for which they undertook the work. [7084/95]
Grant increases due under the CAP afforestation scheme are payable to applicants except in circumstances where such applicants have signed mandates authorising my Department to pay all or specified grant amounts to certain named contractors. Where the mandate refers to all grant moneys due, my Department has been advised that any increases made to the grant form part of the moneys payable on foot of the mandate, as it was the grant which was assigned irrespective of any increase or indeed reduction in same.
Where there is ambiguity regarding the interpretation of particular mandates my Department returns such mandates for revision. The Department insists on the inclusion of certain references in mandate forms including the following sentence: "I have been independently advised as to the nature and extent of this mandate assignment and I am aware of its contents".
