Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Nov 1996

Vol. 471 No. 4

Written Answers - Grant Payments.

Liam Aylward

Question:

268 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason a commitment given by him to have all relevant payments made from his Department by 1 November 1996, as promised under his charter of rights, has not been honoured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21054/96]

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

Different payment target dates are set out in the Charter of Rights for farmers for the various EU headage and premium schemes. In the case of disadvantaged areas' headage schemes the target is to commence payment in September and to complete payment in all eligible cases by 31 October. For the suckler cow premium scheme and the special beef premium scheme the target is to commence payment of advances on 1 November and where the retention period is completed by 30 November (suckler cow) and 1 November (special beef premium) to complete payment of advances in all eligible cases by 31 December. In the case of the arable aid schemes the target is to commence payment on 16 October and to complete payments in all eligible cases by 31 October.

The position is that payments under the various 1996 schemes commenced on target and to date some 469,000 payments valued at £375 million have been made under these schemes. In all, some 897,000 payments valued at over £633 million have been made to farmers under the various EU headage and premium schemes since 1 January 1996.

As part of the integrated administration and control system, required by the EU, Ireland was committed to developing a new area aid related land parcel identification system (LPIS) in 1996. Given the increased level of checks and controls associated with the new system it was inevitable that some delay in making payments, when measured against the 1995 performance, would arise. Payments under all schemes continue to be made and I am confident that all but the most intractable problem cases will be paid by mid-December.

Joe Walsh

Question:

270 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the number and percentage of area aid payments and cattle headage payments that remain unpaid to date in 1996. [21156/96]

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

The number and percentages of applicants under the various 1996 headage and premium schemes remaining unpaid to date are set out in the following table. Before payment can issue to any applicant under headage and premium schemes, other than the ewe premium and slaughter premium schemes and applicants with under 15 livestock units, a valid area aid application must be submitted.

Area aid applications have been received from 131,000 farmers in 1996. As part of the integrated administration and control system required by the EU, Ireland was committed to developing a new area aid related land parcel identification system (LPIS) in 1996. Given the increased levels of checks and controls associated with the new system it was inevitable that some delay in making payments, when measured against the 1995 performance, would arise.

So far in 1996, some 897,000 payments totalling over £633 million have been made to farmers under the various headage and premium schemes. The position with regard to the various 1996 schemes is that payments commenced on target and some 469,000 payments valued at £375 million have been made under these schemes to date. This compares most favourably with the payment positions at similar times in 1994 and previous years which were as follows:

Scheme Year	Number of Payments	Amount Paid
		£m
1994	262,000	245,400
1993	84,000	110,400
1992	138,000	86,500

Payments under all schemes continue to be made and I am confident that all but the most intractable cases will be paid by mid-December.

Number and Percentage of Applications unpaid in respect of 1996 Schemes as at 13 November 1996

Scheme	Number of Applications Received	Number Unpaid	Percentage Unpaid
Cattle Headage/Beef Cow	91,490	34,309	38
Sheep Headage	31,492	11,587	37
Special Beef Premium Jan-July	120,834	44,808	37
Suckler Cow Premium	77,808	29,954	38
Ewe Premium	47,085	969	2
Slaughter Premium	18,041	433	2
Arable Aid	16,000	5,332	33

Ultimately, not all applications received will attract payment. A certain percentage are ineligible each year due to lack of valid area aid applications, lack of quota, penalties arising etc.