Vol. 504 No. 3
53 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive the remainder of 1998 sheep headage and premia entitlements; and the amounts already paid out to him including cheque dates and number of animals in view of the fact he believes he has not been paid his full entitlements on 50 animals. [11860/99]
Under the 1998 sheep schemes the person named applied on 45 breeding ewes and ten hogget ewes. He notified his local office in writing that he had disposed of five hogget ewes. Consequently the payments that issued to him under the ewe premium and sheep headage schemes were the subject of a 20 per cent reduction penalty. However, a review of his case established that he had disposed of five hogget ewes in order to meet his commitments under his REPS plan. Therefore, it was decided that since the reduction in sheep numbers was a requirement under his REPS plan any payments due to him under the sheep schemes should be limited to the number acceptable under his REPS plan (50 animals in this case). Under the 1998 sheep headage scheme including top-up his full entitlement in respect of 50 ewes was £555. Payments to date are as follows, £400 paid 19 November 1998, £44 paid 30 November 1998 and £171 paid 25 February 1999. This resulted in an overpayment of £60.
Under the 1998 ewe premium scheme his full entitlement in respect of 50 ewes was £1,147.25. Payments to date are as follows, £431.31 paid under the first advance on 19 June 1998 and £213.08 paid under the second advance on 21 October 1998. Therefore, taking the overpayment into account the amount now due to the person in question is £442.86. Arrangements are being made to have £442.86 paid to him shortly.
54 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1998 headage and premia payments in view of the fact that 1998 premia have been accepted based on the medical evidence submitted. [11861/99]
An area aid application form was received from the person named on 10 June 1998 and was therefore too late to qualify for any area aid related payments. However, on the basis of the medical certificate submitted by the applicant, the area aid unit agreed to treat this case as one of force majeure. The application has now been fully processed, and any payments due will issue as soon as possible.
55 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will receive 1998 headage and premia payments. [11862/99]
A letter and accompanying maps issued to the above named on 28 April 1999. If the applicant has not received these documents he should contact the area aid unit directly and arrangements will be made to re-issue a further set of the relevant documentation.
Any payments that may be due cannot be made until the area aid situation is satisfactorily resolved.
56 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 fact that maps were resubmitted to the area aid unit on 27 April 1999. [11863/99]
The area aid unit has received the documents referred to above, and these have been processed. Further difficulties have now been determined, and these are being taken up with the applicant. No payments can issue until all outstanding problems have been resolved.
57 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1998 sheep headage based on his total forage area of 16 hectares rather then 1.37 hectares as stated by his Department. [11864/99]
As stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 238 of 23 March 1999 the applicant declared a total of 1.37 hectares. The applicant signed and returned a pre-printed area aid application form without making any additions or amendments. My Department, therefore, processed the application on that basis, resulting in the applicant not satisfying the minimum three hectares required in order to qualify for headage payments. However, if the applicant contacts the area aid unit with a view to clarifying the actual claim that he wished to submit for 1998, the matter will be examined again.
