Theresa Ahearn
Question:147 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a ten month beef premium will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17029/97]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The person named declared a forage area of 39.55 hectares on his 1996 area aid application and has made no request since then for any alteration to this declaration. This means that his stocking density limit, at a rate of two livestock units to the hectare, was 79.1 units for 1996.
His dairy co-operative confirmed that his 1996 milk quota was 67,002 gallons. As 897 gallons, the average milk production per cow, equalled one livestock unit, this represented 74.69 livestock units. He applied for 1996 ewe premium on 90 ewes representing another 13.5 livestock units at a rate of 0.15 livestock units per ewe. In all, therefore, his 1996 milk quota and 1996 ewe premium application absorbed 88.19 livestock units, i,e, 9.09 livestock units more than his stocking density limit. This means he could not be paid any 1996 suckler cow or special beef premium claimed as he had already exceeded his 1996 stocking density limit.
Paul Bradford
Question:148 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the current position in relation to payment under the 1996 and 1997 suckler cow premium scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [17032/97]
The herdowner was deemed to have applied for 1996 suckler cow premium on animals which were not in his herd at the time of his application. A reduction penalty was applied to the payment in respect of the remaining eligible animals. He has appealed this decision and the matter is now under consideration. The herdowner will be notified as soon as the matter is concluded.
The herdowner's 1997 suckler cow premium application is being processed in the normal way.
Paul Bradford
Question:149 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the current position in relation to an appeal lodged by a person (details supplied) in County Cork, whose arable aid application was refused. [17033/97]
This appeal is currently under consideration in the headage and premia appeals unit. The herdowner will be notified of the outcome as soon as the matter is concluded.
Michael Ring
Question:150 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the outcome of a headage and premia appeal for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [17124/97]
This appeal was unsuccessful. The herdowner was notified of the outcome by letter dated 27 January 1997.
John Perry
Question:151 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will reconsider the implementation of clause 27 and clause 29 of the suckler cow and cattle headage scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Sligo in view of the fact that documentation has been produced from the relevant authorities taking full responsibility for the error. [17125/97]
The person named applied under the 1997 EU suckler cow premium scheme and the 1997 cattle headage scheme on an animal which was not in that person's ownership and possession at date of application. The onus is on the applicant to ensure that only eligible animals are applied on, and accordingly, under the terms and conditions of the two schemes, the appropriate reduction penalties must apply to the grants payable. As the person named could have avoided those penalties by reading the eartag on the animal's ear quoting that eartag number on his applications, the fact that documentation supposedly relating to that animal may have misled him does not excuse the applicant's error.
Enda Kenny
Question:152 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the action, if any, he will take to make good the loss to hill sheep farmers in view of a drop in the ewe premium; the reason for such a decline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17126/97]
The ewe premium is designed to compensate producers for the difference between the EU basic price and the average EU market price for sheepmeat. In view of this, it is inevitable that the rate of the ewe premium will be lower in a year, such as 1997, when market prices are relatively high. The reduction in the premium payable this year reflects the high market price throughout the EU.
It should be noted that the EU sheepmeat regime recognises the position of the hill sheep farmer through the payment of a supplementary rural world premium of £5.51 on eligible ewes to producers in disadvantaged areas, where all hill sheep farmers are located. In addition, these producers also receive a headage payment of £10 per head on the first 200 ewes-hoggets.