Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 17 Oct 1996

Vol. 470 No. 3

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Séamus Hughes

Question:

139 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the proposals, if any, he has to bring forward the date of payment of the special beef premium as against the date on which it was paid in 1995 in view of the substantially reduced income of farmers. [18891/96]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

Under EU Regulations advance payments under the EU special beef premium scheme and the EU suckler cow premium scheme are not normally payable until 1 November each year. In 1995, however, the regulations allowed advance payments under the special beef premium scheme to commence on 16 October 1995. Ireland commenced payments on that date. This year, for budgetary reasons, the EU has amended the regulation to allow commencement of advances at 80 per cent of entitlement on 1 October under both the EU suckler cow premium scheme and the EU special beef premium scheme.

The position is, however, that over the past number of weeks my Department has been concentrating on making payments to beef farmers under the special package of measures introduced to compensate farmers for loss of income as a result of the BSE problem. This entailed making almost 200,000 payments valued at close to £70 million. This money simply had to be paid by 15 October 1996. In addition, payment under the 1996 cattle headage and sheep headage schemes commenced on 26 September last and to date £28.205 million has been paid. Payments under those particular schemes are continuing. Given the additional logistical problems this year, associated with making payments under the special BSE compensation package, my Department will not be in a position to commence advance payments under the 1996 special beef premium and suckler cow premium schemes until 1 November 1996.

I would also like to point out that in the period since 1 January 1996 to date some £317.427 million has been paid to Ireland's beef farmers under the various EU bovine headage and premia schemes. In addition, payments totalling £97.365 million have been made to Ireland's sheep farmers in the same period under the EU ewe premium scheme and the EU sheep headage scheme.