Paul Connaughton
Question:246 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when his Department will pay out the £50 per head revaluation top up premium to winter finishers which is owed since 10 June 1997. [19127/97]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The closing date for receipt of application froms under the 1997 national agrimonetary compensation package for beef producers was 7 November 1997. It is expected that payments will start in mid-December and be completed by 31 December 1997. The rate of payment for eligible finished heifers and eligible finished male animals will be £41 per animal. The scheme which was approved by the European Commission on 5 November last, also involves a top-up payment of £2 per head in respect of animals which qualified for the 22 month special beef premium in 1996.
Paul Connaughton
Question:247 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the costs associated with expanding the sheep headage scheme to cover all sheep in disadvantaged areas, in spite of breed type, at the rate of £10 per ewe and subject to an upper limit of 200 ewes per producer. [19130/97]
On the basis of the statistics currently available to the Department the estimated cost of expanding the sheep headage scheme to cover all sheep in disadvantaged areas would be in excess of £7 million annually.