Vol. 501 No. 4
75 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a beef subsidy will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the reason for the delay in this payment; the reason his Department did not receive the area aid form in view of the fact he has a receipt from An Post confirming postage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6314/99]
No area aid application was received from the person named. Therefore, his entitlement to payment is limited to 15 livestock units. However, as he is registered as having a milk quota of 19,891 gallons, he is due no payment under the special beef premium scheme as this quota is the equivalent of 22.17 livestock units.
However, if the person named has proof of postage of his area aid application he should forward this, along with a copy of his application, to the area aid unit.
76 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when the inspection will take place further to his reply in relation to a REP scheme payment to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim in view of the fact that this case has been outstanding for the past 12 months. [6353/99]
The person concerned was visited by an official of my Department on 25 February last. However, there are still serious issues to be addressed including the submission of an amended plan to include lands previously rented to a family member. In addition, further investigation is required to establish if a section of hedge row has been removed. No payment can be made until these issues have been satisfactorily resolved.
77 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when payment under the 1998 sheep headage scheme for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be made. [6354/99]
Payments totalling £1,213 were made to the person named under the 1998 sheep headage including top up on the 18 October 1998 and 30 November 1998 respectively. However, following an up date of the forage area on the area aid file, a balancing payment of £803 is now due in respect of 73 sheep. This payment will be made shortly.
78 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a suckler cow application for a person (details supplied) in County Sligo will be approved. [6355/99]
The person named has applied for an allocation of suckler cow quota from the 1999 national reserve. The amount of quota available for distribution is limited and it is not possible to say at this stage if he will be allocated quota. It is expected that allocations will commence within the next two weeks and I will arrange to inform the Deputy of the outcome in this case.
79 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive extensification on two animals included on an application for 11 bullocks for the 22 month beef premium in view of the fact they were underage for the premium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6356/99]
80 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive extensification on two animals disqualified for payment on an application of 26 cattle for premium due to their age; and if payment will be made on the 24th animal on the application if his area aid is sorted. [6357/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 79 and 80 together.
In accordance with the EU regulations if the stocking density of a holding is less than 1.4 Lus/hectare animals eligible for payment under the special beef premium and suckler cow premium schemes are entitled to extensification premium payment. In regard to the application referred to by the Deputy in the first question, the person named applied for 11 special beef premium animals under the 22 month special beef premium scheme on 14 January 1998. Of these, two animals were rejected. Therefore nine animals were eligible for special beef premium with a potential entitlement to nine extensification premiums if the stocking density is less than 1.4 Lus/ HA. As two animals were rejected on this claim a reduction penalty of 18.18 per cent will be applied to those nine eligible animals under any extensification premium payment in this case.
The person named submitted further applications for five animals on 14 January 1998 and four animals on 18 March 1998 under the ten month special beef premium scheme and four animals on 18 March 1998 and two animals on 26 May 1998 under the 22 month special beef premium scheme. A total of 80 per cent advance payments of the special beef premium issued on 14 of those animals. Advance payment will issue on the remaining animal shortly.
The 1998 extensification payments will commence in May/June. If the stocking density of the person named is under 1.4 Lus per hectare then appropriate payment will issue on all eligible animals paid under the special beef premium scheme.
81 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not received £300 under the original livestock fodder scheme. [6358/99]
In order to qualify under the 1998 winter fodder scheme a producer had to be resident and 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.
82 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford and his eligibility for the 1997 suckler cow premium will be reassessed and reconsidered by way of formal appeal. [6429/99]
The person named made an application under the 1997 suckler cow premium scheme in respect of ten cows on 29 October 1997. At a subsequent inspection carried out on 30 April 1998 ten in-calf heifers were presented. The inspecting officer was not satisfied that the animals were part of a herd intended for rearing calves for meat production resulting in the applicant being ineligible for the 1997 suckler cow premium. The applicant was notified of this decision by letter on 21 July 1998 and was advised that he could seek a review within 21 days. The case was reviewed when further documentation was submitted by the applicant.
The review established that although the original ten cows on which the application was based were in the applicant's possession at the time of application, documentation on file shows that they never came into his ownership and were collected by the owner and returned to his premises on approximately 6 or 7 December 1997. In relation to the in-calf heifers presented for inspection on 30 April 1998, documentation on file indicates that these animals were procured from another herdowner on the understanding that they would be returned to the owner at the end of the retention period and before they had calved.
The result of the review was communicated to the person named on 22 February 1999. The person concerned may appeal the case to the headage and premium appeals unit within 21 days.
83 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when the full forage area aid premium payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if this will be expedited in view of the fact he has responded to queries from his Department which are the same as the queries in 1998. [6430/99]
The area aid application of the person named was processed and a cereals payment issued on a reduced area. Maps were sent to the person named, which when returned confirmed the payment had issued on the correct digitised area. However, following discussions with the person named, additional maps are to be sent to the area aid unit which, when received, will be examined.
