Vol. 490 No. 7
134 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will have arrangements made to issue payment of BSE compensation to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo in view of the fact that it was previously stated that the matter of compensation would be dealt with by Christmas 1997. [11038/98]
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 suckler cow premium scheme and 1995 EU special beef premium scheme. The regulations also provided for adjustments, upwards and downwards, later on to take account of the number of animals qualifying for payment under the 1996 EU suckler cow premium scheme and the 1996 EU special beef premium scheme. In effect the regulations require that when, all balancing payments under the 1996 EU suckler cow premium scheme and 1996 EU special beef premium scheme are made a comparison is to be carried out between the number of animals qualifying for payment under the 1995 schemes and the number qualifying under the 1996 schemes. Money is to be recouped from those farmers who had fewer animals qualifying under the 1996 schemes. The money so recouped is then to be used to make payments to those farmers who had more eligible animals under the 1996 schemes.
My Department has been in the process of recovering overpayments from those farmers in the former category and this money is to be used to make outstanding payments to farmers in the latter category. Obviously it is important that as much money as possible can be recovered before striking a rate for payment of additional top-ups. The person named was not eligible for payment under the 1995 suckler cow or the 1995 special beef premium schemes. He will however, be paid BSE top-ups on the 15 eligible cows on which he was paid 1996 suckler cow premium and on the 12 eligible male animals on which he was paid 1996 special beef premium. As the vast majority of moneys overpaid are now recovered, it is expected that payment of amounts due will commence before the end of June.
