Vol. 489 No. 6
296 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will grant a person (details supplied) in County Sligo his suckler cow quota in view of the fact that he lives in a severely disadvantaged area and his farm is not viable without the quota which he has applied for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8965/98]
My Department is unable to trace any application from the person named for an allocation of suckler cow quota from the 1998 national reserve.
In 1996 under EU regulations persons holding suckler cow quotas of greater than seven premium rights were required, except in duly justified exceptional circumstances, to use at least 70 per cent of their quota each year. Otherwise the part unused was withdrawn and returned to the national reserve. The person named held a quota for nine premium rights but only used five in 1996.
My Department wrote to him on 20 February 1997 to ask him if any exceptional circumstances existed which prevented him from using 70 per cent of his quota. No response was received to that letter and his quota was subsequently reduced to five premium rights.
