P. J. Sheehan
Question:100 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has been refused payment of a ten month beef premium for two cattle. [5342/99]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The person named submitted a ten month special beef premium application in respect of four animals in December 1998. Two of the animals applied on were ineligible on age grounds and, therefore, no premium was payable in respect of those animals. The two remaining animals are being processed with a view to payment.
John Perry
Question:101 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a hardship grant will be immediately approved for a person (details supplied) in County Sligo in view of the fact that his herd is locked up due to a reactor animal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5345/99]
An essential prerequisite for eligibility under the hardship grant scheme is that the herdowner is not in receipt of off-farm income. The herdowner named indicated in his application form that he had off-farm income. He has since confirmed to the satisfaction of the local district veterinary office that he is not in receipt of off-farm income. Payment of his hardship grant for the period from the date of the herd retest, i.e. 19 December 1998, to the date the holding was derestricted, i.e. 16 February 1999, will be made shortly.
Jim Higgins
Question:102 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason for the delay in the payment of area aid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [5346/99]
In accordance with the regulations the person named was paid 80 per cent advance payments of £72.13 on one special beef animal on 19 October 1998, £144.27 on two special beef animals on 20 October 1998 and £72.13 on one special beef animal on 14 December 1998 under the 1998 special beef premium scheme. He was paid an advance payment of 80 per cent on four suckler cows amounting to £448.73 on 21 October 1998 and a 20 per cent balance of £112.19 on 3 February 1999 under the 1998 suckler cow premium scheme. He was paid his full entitlement of £555.40 under the cattle headage scheme on 1 October 1998 and he was paid £160.00 under the 1998 winter fodder scheme.
It is intended to commence payment of the 1998 extensification premium in May-June. The person named will then be considered for payment and if his stocking density is less than 1.4 LU-hectare payment will issue before the end of June.
John Browne
Question:103 Mr. Browne (Wexford) asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Wexford has not received sheep subsidy payments for the past two years in spite of repeated assurances from his Department that he was entitled to receive it. [5391/99]
There was a problem in establishing the entitlement of the person named to payment on his mountain breeding ewes due to reclassification on area aid records of the area he formerly declared as mountain grazings. This matter has now been resolved and the person named will receive the balance of his 1997 and 1998 sheep headage shortly.