Vol. 500 No. 4
193 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position in relation to a headage grant payment for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4073/99]
There was a problem with a parcel of land on the area aid application of the person concerned. This has been resolved and any headage payments due will issue as soon as possible.
194 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when his Department received the application for installation aid from a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; the status of the application; and if payment of this grant will be expedited. [4078/99]
This application, which was received in my Department in December 1996, has now been processed and the installation aid will be paid within the next two weeks.
195 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be paid 1998 ten and 22 months special beef premia. [4079/99]
The person concerned initially submitted a 1998 area aid application, but subsequently withdrew the application in a letter to the area aid unit. Applicants under the special beef premium scheme who have not a valid area aid application for the year in question can only be paid on up to 15 livestock units and this figure is based on all applications submitted for the year in question, including any sheep applied on under the ewe premium scheme and account is also taken of the number of dairy cows needed to fill any milk quota.
Payments due on up to 15 livestock units are expected to issue to the person named as soon as possible.
196 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be paid 1998 area aid. [4080/99]
The person concerned submitted a 1998 area aid application, which was received in the area aid unit of my Department on 12 June 1998. The closing date for receipt of 1998 area aid applications was 15 May 1998. Late applications were accepted up to 9 June 1998, with a 1 per cent penalty per working day that the application was late. Applications which were received on or after 10 June 1998 had a 100 per cent penalty applied. The penalty was applied to the application of the person concerned and therefore no area aid linked payments can issue to this person for 1998.
197 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the progress on an appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny in respect of 1998 suckler cow and beef cow applications. [4082/99]
The herdowner lodged an appeal on 9 December 1998 concerning his 1998 suckler cow and beef cow applications. Appeals are dealt with in the order in which they are received and require individual examination. This appeal will be examined in due course and the herdowner will be notified of the outcome.
198 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason for the delay in having a 1996 area aid application processed for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny in view of the fact all information requested was submitted to his Department some time ago. [4083/99]
My Department received no area aid application from the person named in 1996. However, a certificate of posting has been provided by the person named. In the particular circumstances of this case the Department is willing to accept a copy of his original application.
199 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his Department has re-investigated the appeal submitted on behalf of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny on 12 January 1999 with regard to the refusal of his application under the Leader programme; and if approval will be issued in view of the instance outlined in the appeal. [4084/99]
While my Department has examined the case submitted, it has no role under the Leader programme in the approval of grant aid in respect of individual projects. Applications for aid are invited by the approved groups, who, as pointed out in reply to Question No. 166 on 2 December 1998, have the decision making authority in relation to grant approvals in their areas. The groups take their decisions by reference to the priorities of the business plan for the area which they have drawn up, local circumstances and needs, the funding available to the group as well as the operating rules which are set down by my Department.
200 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the appeal of a person (details supplied) will be processed in view of the fact that he has not yet received a headage payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4098/99]
The herdowner lodged an appeal on 20 November 1998 concerning his 1998 suckler cow premium-cattle headage application. Appeals are dealt with in the order in which they are received and require individual examination. This appeal will be examined in due course and the herdowner will be notified of the outcome.
201 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if area aid problems for a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim will be resolved and cattle and sheep headage released in view of the fact that he has submitted maps on two occasions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4100/99]
There was a problem with a parcel of land on the area aid application of the person concerned which has been resolved following contact with the applicant. Any payments due will issue as soon as possible.
202 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the serious fodder crisis being experienced by a person (details supplied) in County Sligo; if he will be approved for payment under the fodder scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4101/99]
In order to qualify under the 1998 winter fodder scheme a farmer had to have a herd number in one of the designated DEDs. The DEDs were designated on the basis of an examination by Teagasc of areas most affected by the bad weather.
The herd number referred to by the Deputy is not in any of the designated DEDs. Therefore, the person named is not entitled to payment under the 1998 winter fodder package.
203 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon who applied for a hardship grant due to his herd being locked up with tuberculosis in November 1998 has not received any payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4104/99]
An application for hardship grant was received from the person named on 17 November 1998. His holding remained restricted as a result of a reactor re-test on the 5 December 1998. Payments under the hardship grant are normally made on a monthly basis, the first payment falling due one month after the date of the qualifying reactor re-test – in this case on 5 December 1998. A payment in respect of the period 5 December 1998 to 4 January 1999 will issue to the person named in the next few days.
A second monthly payment for the period 5 January 1999 to 4 February 1999 and the third and final part payment are currently being processed and will issue in due course. The third part payment is in respect of the period 5 February 1999 to 10 February 1999 on which date the holding was derestricted.
204 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a payment of headage will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [4108/99]
There was a problem on the area aid application of the person named because a parcel claimed by this person were also being claimed by another herdowner. Maps issued to the herdowners concerned and the area aid application for the person named was finalised with a penalty being applied to the forage area. The person named confirmed that he was not entitled to claim either of the parcels concerned with the result that he has no eligible area.
205 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a second payment instalment on an improved grant application for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is being delayed or withheld. [4209/99]
The approval and payment of grant aid to individual projects under the Leader programme is a matter for the approved groups. In this case, my Department has been in contact with the approved group regarding the eligibility of the project for grant aid under the programme. The matter is still under consideration in my Department and I expect that a final decision will be taken shortly and conveyed to the group.
206 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not received compensation under the fodder aid scheme. [4210/99]
In order to qualify under the 1998 winter fodder scheme a producer had to have (a) mountain grazing and have an application submitted under the 1998 sheep headage scheme or (b) a herd number in one of the designated DEDs and have lodged an application under the 1998 suckler cow premium scheme and hold a suckler cow quota or (c) have a permanent milk quota of 35,000 gallons or less on 1 April 1998 and be active in milk production in the 1998-99 season.
The person named has a herd number in a designated DED, but did not lodge an application under the 1998 suckler cow premium or sheep headage schemes and did not have a milk quota at 1 April 1998. He did not, therefore, qualify for aid under the 1998 winter fodder package.
A new fodder scheme has been agreed by the Government details of which are now being finalised and will be announced shortly.
207 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1998 cattle headage and a suckler cow premium in view of the fact he has proof of postage and a duplicate kept of his application form as submitted. [4211/99]
There is no record of receipt of an application from the person named under the 1998 suckler cow premium/cattle headage schemes nor has he been in touch with the local office of my Department regarding his application under these schemes.
If he has proof of postage and a duplicate of his application he should forward it to the local office of my Department for consideration.
208 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if an entitlement will be reviewed for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo for compensation under the 1997 weather related crop losses scheme. [4213/99]
The applicant did not satisfy the qualifying conditions for compensation under the 1997 scheme of assistance for weather related crop losses. The scheme is now closed.
