Jim Higgins
Question:152 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason for the delay in the payment of cattle headage for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [2280/00]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
A herdowner must submit a valid area aid application for the relevant year to be considered for payment of headage grants. An area aid application was not received from the person named for 1999 and consequently cattle headage payments cannot be made.
Jim Higgins
Question:153 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason for the delay in processing the appeal in respect of livestock grants for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [2281/00]
The herdowner lodged an appeal on 30 November 1999 concerning his 1999 suckler cow premium and cattle headage application. This appeal will be examined shortly and the herdowner will be notified of the outcome.
Paul McGrath
Question:154 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when an installation grant aid will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath. [2282/00]
It is expected that a payment under the scheme of installation aid in respect of this application will issue within the next two weeks.
Cecilia Keaveney
Question:155 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the position in relation to a 1999 cattle and sheep headage grant application for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2283/00]
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. Payments cannot issue until this matter has been resolved.
Jim Higgins
Question:156 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not been paid 1999 equine headage. [2286/00]
The person named applied on four breeding mares and one colt under the 1999 equine headage scheme. Under clause 6 of the terms and conditions governing the scheme, only breeding mares which are registered in the producer's name with the Connemara Pony Breeders' Society or in the Irish Horse Register are eligible for payment. The colt therefore was not eligible for payment and as three of the breeding mares were not registered in the producer's name, the person named incurred a 100% penalty in accordance with clause 27 of the terms and conditions and was advised accordingly by letter from my Department dated 13 January 2000.
However, the case has now been reviewed and given that the three mares in question were paid on under the 1998 equine headage scheme, payment on the four mares applied on under the 1999 scheme will issue within the next 14 days. The person named should ensure that the animals are registered in her name in the year 2000 if she intends to submit these animals for equine headage.
Michael Ring
Question:157 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. [2287/00]
The person named submitted a 1999 area aid application form, which has not been completed correctly. My Department has contacted her with a view to clarifying the situation and is awaiting a response. Payments cannot issue until this matter has been satisfactorily resolved.
Michael Ring
Question:158 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has received his full entitlement to 1999 headage and premia. [2288/00]
The person named was paid his full entitlement of £1,095.19 under the 1999 cattle headage scheme on 28 September 1999. The grant was calculated in accordance with clause 26 of the terms and conditions governing the scheme which provides that an applicant qualifying for headage grants on beef cows may not receive more than £89.62 per hectare of the total forage area of the holding within the handicapped areas and not more than £55.99 per forage hectare in respect of headage grants on other animals. Under the 1999 cattle headage scheme the person named qualified for payment on 12 beef cows and 12 other animals based on total forage area of 15.31 hectares.
The person named also applied for premium on 11 cows under the 1999 suckler cow premium scheme on 31 May 1999. A 60% advance payment of £878.72 issued on 1 November 1999, in addition the person named was paid the euro compensation top-up of £77.99 on 20 December 1999 in respect of the 11 animals in question. Payment of a 40% balance will issue shortly.
The person named submitted one 1999 application for special beef premium in respect of two animals on 28 October 1999.
Based on their dates of birth both animals were ineligible for the ten month age category. The person named was informed of their ineligibility two weeks after the date of receipt of the application and the cattle identity cards were returned.
The animals are now eligible for 1st age premium and the person named may reapply provided the animals are still in his possession.
Jimmy Deenihan
Question:159 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a ten month beef premia payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2289/00]
The person named made the following applications for special beef premium: four animals on 6 December, 1999; one animal on 15 December, 1999.
All applications for special beef premium are subject to a two month retention period. Consequently payment will issue in March, 2000 subject to compliance with the eligibility criteria.
Paul Connaughton
Question:160 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason an appeal was not heard for a person (details supplied) in County Galway concerning the non-payment of grant aid for a linseed crop; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2407/00]
The person named submitted an area aid application on which he declared 30.68 hectares of linseed in 1999. The case was selected for inspection in accordance with the selection criteria and the inspection revealed that an area of 4.83 hectares of linseed was sown. This represented a difference of 25.85 hectares or an overclaim of 535%. Under Article 9 of EU Regulation 3887/92, no penalty is applied where the difference is less than 3% or two hectares whichever is the lesser. The penalty is based on double the difference from the area found when the overclaim is between 3% and 20%, and when the difference is over 20% a 100% penalty must be applied. The penalty applicable in this case is 100%.
A review of the inspection was requested by the applicant. When the review has been completed the results will be communicated to the person concerned.