Vol. 514 No. 4
123 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon is being considered as having a 32 cow quota under the application procedure for additional quota even though 22 of these are leased; the plans, if any, he has to review this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4457/00]
The person named has applied for an allocation of suckler cow quota from the year 2000 national reserve. He applied under category D which is reserved for farmers who do not qualify under the priority categories A, B or C.
More than 7,200 farmers have applied for reserve quota and their applications are presently being examined. It is not possible to say at this stage what the result of any individual application will be but all applicants will be informed, by the end of February at the latest, of the result of their applications.
Reserve quota will be allocated, inter alia, with reference to the applicants' level of livestock units and these are determined with reference to the number of animals applied under the suckler cow premium, ewe premium and special beef premium schemes. The livestock unit equivalent of any milk quota held is also included.
Existing quota, whether owned or leased, held by applicants is not used to determine eligibility.
