Vol. 472 No. 3
274 Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the proposals, if any, he has made to the European Commission to provide for amendments to the headage schemes in 1997 and future years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23192/96]
A formal commitment to have compensatory headage payments independently evaluated was entered into by my Department as part of the negotiations in 1994 on the Structural Funds leading up to the approval of the Operational Programme for Agriculture, Rural Development and Forestry. The Commission's attitude was that the funds allocated to this measure represented too high a percentage — 62 per cent of the overall allocation to the structural improvement and rural development element of the operational programme. The consultants who carried out the evaluation came up with many recommendations. Following consultation with the farm bodies on the consultant's report, I have made a number of proposals to the European Commission to provide for amendments to the headage schemes in 1997 and following years. No decision has yet been made by the Commission. I will announce the details as soon as Commission agreement has been obtained.
