Vol. 519 No. 4
23 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the way in which he intends to introduce area based headage payment; when he proposes to introduce such a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13741/00]
Under Agenda 2000 headage payments in the disadvantaged areas are moving from a payment per animal basis to a payment per hectare. Under transitional arrangements the headage system as it has operated up to now will continue to apply in the year 2000. The new area based payments scheme will be introduced next year and discussions on the new scheme are under way between my Department and the farming bodies. Under the programme for prosperity and fairness my Department is committed to introducing a system which will protect the payment levels to the categories of farmers for whom disadvantaged areas payments are an important part of their total incomes. The task force which was established under the PPF to formulate a new system have had a number of meetings and expect to be in a position to propose a new scheme shortly. Details of the new scheme will have to be approved by the European Commission in the context of Ireland's Rural Development Plan 2000-2006.
