Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Jun 1998

Vol. 493 No. 3

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Liam Aylward

Question:

214 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will review the application under the 1996 ten month and 22 month beef subsidy by a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny which was refused on the grounds that his stock density was too high but where a genuine error was made in that he omitted to include his milk quota with the application. [16020/98]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

The person named made the following applications for special beef premium in 1996: 12 animals under the ten month special beef premium scheme on 1 May 1996; 33 animals under the 22 month special beef premium scheme on 1 May 1996; 13 animals under the 22 month special beef premium scheme on 13 August 1996; 43 animals under the ten month special beef premium scheme on 1 November 1996; 22 animals under the 22 month special beef premium scheme on 1 November 1996.

Under EU regulations governing the special beef premium scheme, a stocking density limit of two livestock units per hectare applies based on the forage area declared on an applicants area aid application. The person named declared 39.45 forage hectares on his area aid application and therefore was entitled to payment on a maximum of 78.9 reckonable livestock units.

Reckonable livestock units consist of animals submitted by an applicant for special beef premium, suckler cow premium and ewe premium schemes coupled with notional livestock units derived from any milk quota held.

The milk quota declared on the area aid application represents the following units: 31,829 divided by 897 = 35.48 livestock units.

The balance of the livestock units available 43.42, 78.9-35.48, were utilised under the special beef premium scheme as follows: 12 animals × 0.6 = 7.2 livestock units; 33 animals × 1 = 33 livestock units; 5.36 animals × 0.6 = 3.22 livestock units.

The EU regulations governing this scheme specifically provide that animals applied upon in excess of the individual farmers permitted stocking rate of two livestock units per hectare are deemed to have been paid the instalment applied for and specifically precluded from qualifying for that instalment of the premium at a future date. The Deputy will appreciate that my Department has no discretion in the matter.