Michael Ring
Question:120 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive his 1997 extensification payment. [16654/98]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
Article 4(h) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2066/92 states that a producer must have a stocking density of less than 1.4 livestock units per hectare in order to qualify for extensification premium. Male animals up to and including 24 months old are classified as 0.6 livestock unit each and male animals over 24 months of age are classified as one livestock unit each. Suckler cows are classified as one livestock unit each.
The stocking density of the holding of the person named was calculated as follows for 1997:—
|
All animals applied on under the special beef premium scheme |
20 * x 0.6Lus each |
12.00 Lus |
|
All animals applied on under the suckler cow premium scheme |
20 x 1.OLu each |
20.00 Lus |
|
Total |
32.00 Lus |
The forage area declared on his 1997 area aid application form was 22.64 hectares. Therefore the stocking density for the holding in question is 32.00 Lus divided by 22.64 Hectares which equals 1.41 Lus/hectare. As this is not less than 1.40Lus/Ha, as set out in the regulation, he does not qualify for 1997 extensification premium.
*The person named applied for 1997 special beef premium grants on 20 animals under the ten month scheme. He was only paid on 19 as he had previously applied on and was paid on one of the 20 under the ten month scheme in 1996. This animal was deleted without penalty but in accordance with article 3 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2066 / 92 which states that "for determining the stocking density of the holding, account shall be taken of: the male bovine animals, suckler cows, sheep and / or goats for which premiuim applications have been submitted." This animal was included in the stocking density calculations.
Michael Ring
Question:121 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will have arrangements made for payment to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo in relation to BSE compensation. [16655/98]
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. When all payments under the 1996 EU suckler cow premium scheme and 1996 EU special beef premium scheme are made a comparison will 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 had 12 more eligible animals under the 1996 special beef premium scheme and 15 additional suckler cow under the 1996 suckler cow premium scheme. He will, therefore, be entitled to further top-up payments on these animals. It is expected that payment of amounts due will commence before the end of July. To date, the person named was paid BSE/agrimonetary top-up amounting to £412.05 on 15 suckler cows and £150.12 on 12 male animals under the 1997 schemes. In addition, he was paid £118.11 on 15 suckler cows and 12 male animals under the second tranche of agrimonetary top-ups.