Enda Kenny
Question:155 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway has not received sheep headage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2409/99]
Written Answers - Grant Payments.
Payment under the 1996 sheep headage scheme including top-up was made to the person named on 11 November 1996 and 12 November respectively. Under the ewe premium scheme, it was a condition that applicants keep on their holdings for 100 days from 10 January 1996 to 18 April 1996 the number of sheep on which they applied for premium. Following an inspection of the sheep on which the person named had claimed premium. He was deemed to be in breach of the above conditions and his application was rejected. He was debarred from the scheme for two years. He was informed of this decision in writing and under the charter of rights for farmers he appealed this decision to the local headage office. This appeal was rejected and he subsequently submitted an appeal to the appeals unit in Agriculture House who reduced the penalty from two years to one year. The person named then wrote to the Ombudsman's office to have his case reviewed. The Ombudsman upheld the decision made by the appeals unit.
John Perry
Question:156 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 165 of 24 November 1998, his attention has been drawn to the fact that an area aid application for a person (details supplied) in County Sligo has been submitted; the reason he has not received headage payments; if this will be immediately processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2412/99]
The person named will be paid his entitlement under the 1998 cattle headage scheme within the next two weeks.
Paul Bradford
Question:157 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be paid a reactor grant. [2441/99]
On receipt of essential documentation from the person concerned, reactor grants under the TB eradication scheme will be processed for payment by the district veterinary office. The dis trict veterinary office will contact the person concerned to remind him of the importance of forwarding the essential documentation required.
Paul Bradford
Question:158 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Cork is due payment of an extensification grant; if so, the amount due; and when payment will issue. [2442/99]
In order to be eligible for extensification premium a herdowner must have a stocking density of less than 1.4 livestock units per hectare. The person named has a milk quota of 63,505 gallons with an average yield of 1,012 gallons per cow. This represents 62.75 LUs when the milk quota of 63,505 is divided by the average yield of 1,012 gallons. He also applied for 39 animals under the special beef premium scheme. As all the 39 animals are under two years they represent 0.6 LUs each, amounting to 23.4 LUs. On his 1997 area aid application he declared 57.89 hectares. The total LUs of 86.15, divided by 57.89 hectares, give a total of 1.48 livestock units per hectare. As the total livestock units are not less than 1.4 LUs per hectare, the person named is not eligible for the 1997 extensification premium.