Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 24 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 7

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Ivan Yates

Question:

170 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if special beef premium payments will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford, including the BSE top-up payment, in view of the fact he was a bona fide winter fattener buying in fodder; and if the matter will be reviewed in view of the substantial loss that he endured. [7213/98]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

The person named applied for 1996 special beef premium on a total of 67 animals all of which were under 24 months of age and as such were each classified as 0.6 of a livestock unit. As a result, the total number of livestock units reckonable for stocking density purposes in this case was 40.2, i.e. 67 × 0.6.

Under EU regulations governing the special beef premium scheme, a stocking density of two livestock units per hectare applies. This means that the person named could only receive payment in respect of 18.54 livestock units or an equivalent of 30.9 animals, on his 9.27 hectare holding. Accordingly, he was paid a total of £2,786.25, 30.9 × £90.17, which was his full entitlement under the 1996 special beef premium scheme. The terms and conditions governing this scheme are prescribed under EU regulations and my Department has no option but to adhere to them.

The regulations governing payment of the 1996 BSE compensation package, which was paid out in October 1996, provided for payment of top-ups in respect of animals which qualified for payment under the 1995 EU special beef premium scheme and 1995 EU suckler cow premium scheme. The regulations also provided for adjustments, upwards or downwards, later to take account of the number of animals qualifying for payment under the 1996 EU special beef premium scheme and 1996 EU suckler cow premium scheme. In effect, the regulations required that when all the balancing payments under the 1996 EU special beef premium scheme and 1996 EU suckler cow premium scheme were made, a comparison was carried out between the number of animals qualifying under the 1996 schemes and eligible animals under 1995 schemes. Money was recouped from those farmers who had fewer animals qualifying under the 1996 schemes. The money so recouped will be used to fund payments to those farmers who had more eligible animals under the 1996 schemes. To date, the person named was paid BSE special beef premium top-up of £267.12, 14 × £19.08, on 7 October 1996, based on the 1995 EU special beef premium scheme. In 1996 he had 16.9 additional eligible male animals, 30.9 — 14, and will therefore be entitled to a further payment on the additional animals in this category. It is expected that these payments will commence in June.

In addition, under the 1997 element of BSE compensation he was paid £310, 31 × £10, top-up on 31 male animals on 28 May 1997. He was also paid £77.81, 31 × £2.51, on 31 male animals on 14 October 1997 under the 1997 EU agrimonetary compensation package.

Under the 1997 national agrimonetary compensation scheme, the person named was paid a further top-up of £54, 27 × £2, on 30 December 1997 which was based on the number of animals qualifying for the 22 month instalment of 1996 special beef premium.