Tom Enright
Question:170 Mr. Enright asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when REP scheme payments will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Laois. [20291/99]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
A final decision on this case will issue to the person named within the next two weeks.
Michael Ring
Question:171 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1999 cattle and sheep headage and premia. [20293/99]
The person named included commonage in his 1999 area aid application, but did not provide proof of his entitlement to claim this commonage. The herdowner has been contacted in this regard and when the necessary proof is provided, his application will be processed.
The person named applied on 11 beef cows under the 1999 suckler cow premium scheme and on 39 animals under the 1999 cattle headage scheme. An examination of these applications showed that one of the animals applied on under both schemes, a beef cow, had an invalid tag number. Also under the 1999 cattle headage scheme, another animal applied on had an invalid tag number and four animals applied on were not registered with the National Calf Birth Registration Service. The person named was written to by my Department on 20 July 1999 and again on 31 August 1999 requesting information concerning the invalid tag numbers and also requesting that the four animals be registered. To date, no reply has been received from the person named and the four animals remain unregistered. My Department cannot process these applications further until such time as information concerning the invalid tags is received. Payment under the 1999 cattle headage scheme will now be subject to a reduction penalty as a consequence of the unregistered animals in accordance with clauses 29, 33, and 34(a) of the terms and conditions governing this scheme.
Payment of the first advance of £1,508.65 issued to the person named on 11 June 1999 under the 1999 ewe premium scheme. The second advance of £772.43 will issue to him tomorrow.
Payment under the 1999 sheep headage scheme will issue as soon as his 1999 area aid application is fully processed.
No application has been received from the person named under the 1999 special beef premium scheme.
Michael Ring
Question:172 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1999 sheep headage and premia. [20294/99]
The person named included commonage in his 1999 area aid application, but did not provide proof of his entitlement to claim this commonage. The herdowner has been contacted in this regard, and when the necessary proof is provided, his application will be processed.
Payment under the 1999 sheep headage scheme will issue as soon as his 1999 area aid application is fully processed.
Payment of the first advance of £1,935.24 issued to the person named on 11 June 1999 under the 1999 ewe premium scheme. The second advance of £990.83 will issue to him tomorrow.
The person named is not an applicant under the 1999 cattle schemes.
Dinny McGinley
Question:173 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason full 1999 cattle headage payment was not made to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal. [20295/99]
The person named was paid his full entitlement of £80.53 under the 1999 cattle headage scheme on 28 September 1999. This is in accordance with clause 26 of the terms and conditions governing the scheme which provides that an applicant qualifying for headage grants may not receive in respect of such grants more than £89.62 per forage hectare subject to an overall stocking rate of 1.4 livestock units per forage hectare.
The person named declared 5.25 forage hectares in his 1999 area aid application. As provided by clause 26 this entitled him to a maximum payment of £470.53 under the combined headage schemes. The person named was paid £390.00 under the 1999 sheep headage scheme on 27 September 1999 and the balance of £80.53 was paid to him under the 1999 cattle headage scheme.
Jimmy Deenihan
Question:174 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a 1998 area aid application by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry was rejected and a 100 per cent penalty imposed on all area aid based livestock payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20296/99]
The person named submitted an area aid application on which he declared 33.07 hectares of forage in 1998. However the documentation provided only supported an area of 22.44 hectares. This represents a difference of 10.63 hectares or 47.37 per cent between the area claimed and that found. Under Article 9 of EU Regulation 3887/92, no penalty is applied when the difference is less than 3 per cent. The penalty is based on double the difference when it is between 3 per cent and 20 per cent and when the difference is over 20 per cent, a 100 per cent penalty must be applied.
Subsequently further maps were received from this applicant, as a result of which the application has been re-examined and the overclaim resolved to the applicant's benefit.
John McGuinness
Question:175 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if his Department will examine the overall problems relating to claims for headage payments from commonage at Brandon Hill, Raheen Donore, County Kilkenny which were settled in 1998 and are now causing delays in payments for 1999 headage payments; if his Department will expedite payment to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny whose paperwork is correct; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20297/99]
My Department has received claims, including the application submitted by the person concerned, in relation to commonage at Brandon Hill, Raheen Donore, County Kilkenny which exceed the total area of the commonage. Until satisfactory proof of entitlement is provided no payments can be made.