Vol. 469 No. 4
59 Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the current number of units in the suckler cow national quota reserve; the way in which he proposes to distribute this reserve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17575/96]
The quota available for distribution from the 1996 suckler cow national reserve was 67,778.1 premium rights. Some 6,097 farmers were provisionally allocated 48,831 premium rights prior to applying for the 1996 suckler cow premium scheme.
A total of 4,946 farmers who applied for the 1996 suckler cow premium scheme in the May application period have had their reserve allocations confirmed. The total confirmed allocations from the 1996 national reserve to farmers who applied for the 1996 suckler cow premium scheme in the May application period is 34,715 premium rights. The remainder of reserve applications will have their provisional allocations confirmed after the October suckler cow premium application period.
Priority categories for the 1997 national reserve will be decided in consultation with the quota review group. It is expected that application forms will be available in January 1997.
