Vol. 503 No. 7
86 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if persons (details supplied) in County Wexford will be allowed to lease their suckler cow premium quota or use it in 1999 in view of the circumstances whereby, due to animal and veterinary problems, they had to depopulate their herd in conjunction with his Department. [11111/99]
One of the persons named holds a suckler cow quota of 28 premium rights. That person leased out part or all or her quota in 1995, 1996 and 1997. She used all the quota herself in 1998 but is unable to use the quota herself in 1999 because of disease problems in the herd.
Under EU regulations, farmers holding suckler cow quotas may lease out all or part of their quota for a maximum period of three consecutive years, after which they must, except in duly justified exceptional cases, use all of the quota themselves in each of the following two years. However, the regulations do provide that, in duly justified exceptional cases, the unused quota may be held for the person concerned during those two years until she is in a position to use it herself.
The person named will, therefore, retain her full quota for 1999 but she may not lease any part of it in 1999. She may use her quota herself in 2000 or she may commence a three year leasing cycle starting in the year 2000.
