Vol. 502 No. 3
233 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive his 1998 cattle headage and premia in view of the fact his forage area has not changed in many years. [8091/99]
A commonage in which the applicant was claiming a share has been overclaimed. The applicant has been written to, requesting that he pro vide proof of entitlement to the commonage area claimed by him. A reply has not yet been received to my Department's letter.
234 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1998 cattle headage and premia payments. [8092/99]
A particular parcel of land being claimed by this applicant as commonage has also been claimed by another herdowner as individually owned land. Both herdowners have been written to with a view to clarifying the position. Until the matter is satisfactorily resolved, no grants under the 1999 cattle headage and suckler cow premium schemes can issue to the person named.
235 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a 1998 suckler cow premium; and the reason for the delay. [8093/99]
The person named applied for six cows under the 1998 suckler cow premium scheme in May of 1998. Subsequent to the claim being lodged, he notified his local district livestock office by letter that one of the animals applied on had died. Under the regulations governing the scheme the person named is entitled to payment on five cows.
Arrangements are being made to have the 1998 suckler cow premium paid to the person named shortly.
236 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a REP scheme payment to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo was reduced by £472 rather than the 10 per cent penalty imposed which would result in a reduction of £445.50; the reason for the increased penalty; and when she will receive the balance payment owed to her. [8094/99]
In accordance with EC Regulation 746/96, interest must be charged on penalties imposed for non-compliance with the terms and conditions of the rural environment protection scheme.
Interest is charged at a rate of 8 per cent per annum and, as payments under the scheme are made in advance, the interest is charged from the date of payment to the date of inspection. A 10 per cent penalty was imposed on the third year REPS payment of the person named which amounted to £444.75 and the sum involved attracted interest of £28.05 giving a total deduction of £472.80.
237 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1998 sheep headage and ewe premium payments in view of the circumstances of his case and medical evidence submitted to the local office. [8095/99]
The medical certificate submitted on behalf of the applicant has been received by my Department. However, there are other outstanding problems to be resolved in relation to the land parcel details on the area aid application of this herdowner. The applicant has been written to in this connection.
238 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1998 sheep headage; and the reason for the delay in processing this in view of the fact the herd owner has not been informed of any problems with his area aid application. [8096/99]
The applicant declared a total of 1.37 hectares on his area aid form. He does not therefore satisfy the minimum three hectares required in order to qualify for headage payments.
239 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the problem of another person claiming in respect of area aid on land of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has been resolved in view of the fact he is concerned that this problem should not arise again and delay his own future area aid applications. [8097/99]
This herdowners area aid application has been clear for some time. Suckler cow and headage payments issued to him in November 1998 on foot of that application. There is no delay in the processing of any area aid application where the details submitted by the applicant are correct.
