Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 Dec 1996

Vol. 472 No. 6

Written Answers. - Headage Payments.

John Ellis

Question:

199 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the proposals, if any, he has regarding the limitation of headage payments in 1997; and if he will give a commitment that nobody within the previously disadvantaged areas scheme will be disqualified on age grounds. [23711/96]

Joe Walsh

Question:

204 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will publish his Department's submission to Brussels on proposals for changes in the criteria for receipt of headage and premia payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23820/96]

Joe Walsh

Question:

205 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry whether he has submitted proposals to Brussels following a meeting with the OPARDF Monitoring Committee restricting headage premia payments to compliance with participation in REP schemes and/or environmental control schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23821/96]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 199, 204 and 205 together.

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 consultants' 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. These would involve some limits on the overall level of payment, adjustments to a small number of grant rates and a better targeting of payments in order to meet the overall aim of the disadvantaged areas scheme. Discussions on these proposals with the Commission are ongoing and it would not be appropriate to publish details of the proposals until discussions with the Commission are finalised.