Michael P. Kitt
Question:120 Mr. M. Kitt asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when BSE compensation grants and the balance of cow and sheep premia will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway. [12984/97]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The person named applied for grants on 24 cows under the 1996 cattle headage scheme and received his full entitlement, limited by the forage area as declared on his 1996 area aid application, of £2,014.70 on 27 September 1996.
He applied for premium on 24 cows under the 1996 suckler cow scheme for non-suppliers of milk and received payment of £2,370.44 on 1 November 1996. His entitlement under this scheme was also limited by the forage area declared on his 1996 area aid application.
His full entitlement of £1,352.55 under the 1996 special beef premium scheme was paid on 19 March 1997.
His full entitlement has also been paid under the 1996 ewe premium scheme. A first advance of £2,104.57 was paid to him on 5 July 1996, a second advance of £892.55 on 11 November 1996 and the balance of £844.51 on 19 February 1997.
Entitlement under 1997 BSE suckler cow and special beef premium top-up will be paid to him within the next two weeks.
Michael Ring
Question:122 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be paid her 1996 sheep headage, cattle headage and suckler cow premia in view of the fact that the delay is causing financial hardship. [12986/97]
The person named applied for 40 mountain breeding ewes and five hogget ewes under the 1996 sheep headage scheme. As she does not have mountain grazing, she is not eligible for payment on the 40 mountain breeding ewes. Payment of £60, which included £10 sheep headage top-up, issued in respect of the five hogget ewes on 25 April 1977.
She applied for 45 ewes under the 1996 ewe premium scheme. At an inspection carried out on 18 April 1996, only 37 ewes were presented. Consequently, a penalty of 100 per cent was incurred. However, due to an oversight, a payment of £877.53 was made and this amount will have to be recouped from future entitlements.
Full entitlement of £1,653.00 under the 1996 cattle headage scheme was paid on 1 May 1997.
Entitlement under the 1996 suckler cow scheme will be paid within a week.
Michael Ring
Question:123 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be paid his 1996 sheep headage, cattle headage and suckler cow premia in view of the fact that the delay is causing financial hardship. [12987/97]
The person named applied on 20 ewes under the 1996 ewe premium scheme and 20 hoggets under the 1996 sheep headage scheme. At an inspection carried out on 8 March 1996, 20 ewes were presented and accepted. No hoggets were presented and the person was deemed ineligible under the sheep headage scheme. At the subsequent compliance inspection carried out on 18 April 1996, no ewes were presented so the person was also deemed ineligible under the ewe premium scheme.
An application was made under the 1996 cattle headage scheme on 21 animals but, when inspected on 20 September 1996 nine animals were absent. Consequently a penalty of 100 per cent was incurred.
This person applied for the October 1996 suckler cow scheme under his own herd number. The application could not be processed as an application had already been received on 5 June 1996 for the 1996 suckler cow premium scheme for small-scale milk producers under a different herd number, of which the person named became one of the joint registered herd owners on 5 July 1996. Only one application is allowed under the suckler cow premium scheme each year. He and his mother will, however, receive payment under the 1996 suckler cow premium scheme for small-scale milk producers. Payment will issue within the next week.
Michael Ring
Question:124 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the number of farmers nationwide who have leased commonage and have received a REP scheme payment. [12988/97]
Michael Ring
Question:125 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the number of farmers in County Mayo who have leased commonage and have received a REP scheme payment. [12989/97]
Michael Ring
Question:126 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the number of farmers nationwide and in County Mayo who have leased commonage and are awaiting REP scheme payments. [12990/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 124, 125 and 126 together.
As I have already informed the Deputy in reply to Question No. 148 on this subject on 17 April my Department received a significant number of REPS applications which included high proportions of leased commonage lands, some of which were entirely leased commonage. My Department has to ensure that these applications are genuine and comply with the terms of the relevant regulations. The European Commission have been asked for advice on the matter and a reply is still awaited. Where it is clear that applications meet the conditions of the scheme, these have been processed.
In County Mayo, REPS payments have issued to 52 farmers who had leased commonage lands included in their applications.
The number of farmers nationwide who have received REPS payments in respect of leased commonage lands is 138.
The number of farmers who, it has been established, have included leased commonage and are awaiting REPS payment in respect of same is 93 nationwide with 68 of these in Mayo.
Every effort is being made to arrive at a fair and equitable solution in these cases bearing in mind the Department's responsibility to ensure the highest standards of accountability for all expenditure on REPS.
Liam Aylward
Question:127 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will have arrangements made to pay 1996 beef cow premia to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [13001/97]
The delay in this case was associated with the increased levels of checks and controls which had to be undertaken under the new land parcel identification system (LPIS).
The application of the person concerned has now been processed and beef cow payments should issue within the next week.
John Connor
Question:128 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when 1996 beef premia due to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon will be paid; the reason for the delay in payment; if he will ensure that the discrepancy in relation to the area of land owned by this applicant for area aid purposes will be cleared up; if the actual forage area of his farm for area aid purposes at 20.26 H.A. will be confirmed to all relevant sections of his Department. [13022/97]
The person named was paid his special beef premium advance of £1,706.73 on 25 November 1996.
The balancing payment requires checks and controls associated with the land parcel identification system (LPIS). My Department has written to the person named in an effort to have the outstanding problems sorted out with a view to having payment made at the earliest opportunity.
Ned O'Keeffe
Question:129 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when payment of a beef premium in respect of five animals and a suckler cow premium for five animals will be issued to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [13023/97]
The person named submitted one 1996 special beef premium scheme application in respect of four animals. He was paid an advance of £288.54 on 25 November 1996 and the balance of £72.14 on 10 March 1997.
He applied for 1996 suckler cow premium grants on eight animals. At inspection on 28 August 1996, five of the animals declared on his application as beef breeds were found to be dairy type. He was deemed, therefore, to have made a false declaration and as a result did not qualify for premium in 1996. He was informed of this decision in writing on 8 April 1997 and under the Charter of Rights for Farmers was invited, if he so wished, to appeal this decision to the local headage office within 21 days. No appeal has been received to date.
Mary Coughlan
Question:130 Miss Coughlan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when 1996 special beef and suckler cow premia will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13024/97]
The person named was paid his 1996 suckler cow premium advance of £7,852.88 on 25 November 1996 and special beef premium advances of £937.76 and £1,947.67 on 16 and 18 November 1996.
He has not yet received his balancing payments because of the increased levels of checks and controls associated with the land parcel identification system (LPIS). My Department has written to him in an effort to have the outstanding problems sorted out with a view to having payment made as soon as possible.
Paul Bradford
Question:131 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has not received his slaughter premium. [13025/97]
The special beef premium unit has no record of having received a slaughter premium application from the person named for the calendar years 1995, 1996 or 1997.
An application was submitted by him on 15 August 1996 in respect of five animals under the 1996 BSE compensation scheme for heifer producers but no grant is payable due to the invalidity of the application. Neither the herdowner not the abattoir could provide tag numbers for the animals involved. A copy of an amended invoice from the abattoir was received on 24 March 1997. However, as payments in respect of the said scheme had to be made by 15 October 1996, it was not then possible to process the application at that time.
Brendan Kenneally
Question:132 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a 1996 cattle headage payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13027/97]
The person named applied on 33 animals under the 1996 beef cow scheme, of which 30 have been accepted for payment. Payment, which was delayed because not all of her land was digitised under the 1996 land parcel identification system, will be made within the next week.
Brendan Smith
Question:133 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if the second payment due under the REP scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Cavan will issue at an early date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13028/97]
The applicant forwarded an amended agri-environmental plan to this Department at the end of his second year in the REP scheme. This plan was found to be unsatisfactory and has now been revised.
Arising from a compliance check which has been carried out on the applicant's farm a penalty was imposed on his second year payment. The applicant has been informed of this and offered the opportunity of appeal. As soon as this is finalised arrangements will be made to pay the second year payment, at the appropriate rate.
Dinny McGinley
Question:134 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the position regarding REP scheme payment for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal. [13030/97]
The position in relation to this application was set out in the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 104 of 10 April 1997.