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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 Nov 1999

Vol. 511 No. 3

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Jim Higgins

Question:

125 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason for the delay in the payment of headage and suckler cow grants to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [24013/99]

The person named was paid £1468.20 under the 1999 cattle headage scheme on 9 November 1999 and £1038.49 under the 1999 suckler cow premium scheme on 11 November 1999.

An appeal has been lodged in my Department's appeals unit in respect of his 1999 sheep headage and has yet to be finalised.

John Perry

Question:

126 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if the balance of 1998 sheep headage payments will be paid to a person (details supplied). [24049/99]

The person named applied for a total of 28.13 hectares on his 1998 area aid application form. Following processing of his application an area of 12.93 hectares was determined. This represents a difference of 15.20 hectares or 117 per cent between the area claimed and that determined.

Under Article 9 of EU Regulation 3887/92, no penalty is applied when the difference is less than 3%, 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. Therefore, in this case a penalty of 100 per cent has to be applied, and consequently no payments can issue.

However, the person named was contacted to afford him the opportunity to submit additional material in support of his application. He has now submitted additional information which is being examined by the area aid unit.

Dinny McGinley

Question:

127 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when 1999 cattle headage payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal. [24050/99]

One of the parcels claimed by the person named in his 1999 area aid application overlaps with a parcel of land claimed by another applicant. The person named was contacted in this regard and in his reply clarified the position by including a map showing what the correct position is. This information is now being entered on to the Department's electronic database and any payments due will issue shortly.

Michael Ring

Question:

128 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 payments and premia. [24057/99]

The person named did not initially supply the information necessary to process his 1999 area aid application. Therefore, the area aid unit issued maps to the herdowner to enable him to outline the boundaries of the land claimed by him. These maps have now been returned and are currently being entered on to the Department's electronic database. Any payments due will issue shortly.

Michael Ring

Question:

129 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1998 and 1999 cattle headage payments in view of the fact that all difficulties on this file have been resolved. [24058/99]

As stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 234 of 23 March 1999, a particular parcel of land being claimed by this applicant as commonage for the 1998 area aid scheme had also been claimed by another herdowner.

Both herdowners were contacted and the matter has now been resolved in favour of the person named. The relevant changes are being entered on the Department's electronic database, together with the new plots included in her 1999 area aid application, with a view to having any payments due made at the earliest possible date.

Michael Ring

Question:

130 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 payments and premia. [24059/99]

The 1999 area aid application for the person named has now been fully processed and any payments due will issue as soon as possible.

Michael Ring

Question:

131 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1999 headage and premia payments. [24060/99]

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 informed of this and his application cannot be processed further until this proof is provided.

Michael Ring

Question:

132 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1999 cattle headage payments. [24061/99]

The person named submitted an area aid application which included a parcel in respect of which a dual claim was determined. Although the person named submitted documentation from an auctioneer, no maps were included to confirm that the land rented is in fact the parcel of land subject to the dual claim. My Department has contacted both herdowners to clarify the matter. No payments can issue until this matter has been satisfactorily resolved.

John Perry

Question:

133 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when the application by a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim for a slatted house will be approved in view of the fact that he was unaware of the regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24062/99]

My Department has no record of receiving an application from the person named under any on-farm investment scheme.

It is open to this person to apply for grant aid for a slatted house under the national scheme of investment aid for the control of farm pollution in accordance with the terms and conditions of that scheme.

John Perry

Question:

134 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when 1999 cattle headage payments will be paid to a person (details supplied) in view of the fact that the inspection has been carried out and all documentation lodged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24065/99]

The person named amended his original 1999 area aid application to include three new plots and this delayed the processing of the application. However, these new plots are currently being entered on the Department's electronic database. When this process has been completed any payments due will issue.

Liam Aylward

Question:

135 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if payment of a ewe subsidy will be arranged for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny in view of the fact that all documentation is in order. [24066/99]

This question relates to the 1996 ewe premium. Following an inspection of the flock of the person named a number of sheep were not accounted for and he was requested to submit proof of sale for these absent sheep. Documentation relating to the disposal of 138 sheep was received in May of this year. As further investigations in this case are necessary before a final decision can be made I have arranged with the local office to have these investigations finalised as a matter of urgency. I will revert to the Deputy as soon as these investigations are completed.

Michael Creed

Question:

136 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the value of outstanding cattle grants due to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; the reason for the delay in paying these grants; and when payment will be made. [24098/99]

The person named applied on 49 animals under the 1999 cattle headage scheme. An examination of his application under this scheme showed that 40 of those animals were not registered with the national calf birth registration service in accordance with clause 13 of the terms and conditions governing the scheme. The person named was written to by my Department on 21 July 1999 requesting that the animals be registered and advising that any animal not registered within 15 days of receipt of the letter would not be eligible for payment. A subsequent examination of his application showed that these animals remained unregistered and my Department wrote to him on 21 September 1999 advising that as he was in breach of clause 13 and clause 21(b) of the terms and conditions in relation to animal identification and registration requirements his application would be subject to a 100 per cent penalty as set out in clause 34(a). He was given the opportunity to appeal this decision within 21 days by writing to my Department setting out any facts which he wished to put forward to support his case but he did not do so. The person named registered 11 of these animals at the beginning of this month while 29 animals remain unregistered. However, as these animals were not registered within the deadline specified they remain ineligible for payment.

Dan Neville

Question:

137 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a REP scheme payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [24099/99]

The person named has been paid the first instalment of his first year payment under the REP scheme. The payment issued on 10 November 1999.

The second instalment will issue six months after the date of commencement of his plan.

Dinny McGinley

Question:

138 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when sheep headage payment will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal. [24100/99]

The person named has not supplied the information necessary to process his 1999 area aid application. The area aid unit issued maps to the herdowner to enable him to outline the boundaries of the land claimed by him. These maps have not yet been returned to the area aid unit. It is not possible, therefore, to process his application to completion.

Dinny McGinley

Question:

139 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when sheep headage will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal. [24101/99]

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. This application cannot be processed further until this proof is provided.

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