Vol. 519 No. 5
122 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will have their application under the early retirement scheme processed and approved; if so when; and if he will expedite the application. [14322/00]
The person named applied for an early retirement pension on 17 November 1999. Processing of this application is nearing completion. There is one outstanding detail to be finalised by the applicant, and when this is done the application will be approved for payment.
123 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if the 1998 and 1999 suckler grant will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Sligo. [14088/00]
The person named is one of five applicants who included commonage at Slievemore or Kingsmountain in their 1999 area aid application forms. Three of the five applicants, including the person named, are claiming that between them they have exclusive rights over the commonage. However, since the commonage is unregistered none of these three applicants have been able to substantiate their claim and consequently their area aid applications cannot be finally processed. The person named also claimed the same commonage in his 1998 area aid application form, which could not be fully processed for the same reason.
In the absence of documentary proof of entitlement to claim on this commonage the herdowners concerned should seek to secure written agreement amongst themselves as to the respective areas to be claimed by each. My Department would be prepared to take due account of such an agreement.
The person named was paid £4,206.90 on 30 cows under the 1998 suckler cow premium scheme on 16 April 1999. However, this payment and indeed all scheme entitlements for 1998 are subject to further examination in the event that the 1998 area aid application cannot be finalised in the near future.
Payment under the 1999 suckler cow premium scheme cannot be considered until such time as all 1999 area-aid issues are resolved.
124 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if a person (details supplied) in County Sligo will be paid his 1999 cattle headage and premium. [14089/00]
The person named is one of five applicants who included commonage at Slievemore or Kingsmountain in their 1999 area aid application forms. Three of the five applicants, including the person named, are claiming that between them they have exclusive rights over the commonage. However, since the commonage is unregistered none of these three applicants have been able to substantiate their claim and consequently their area aid applications cannot be finally processed and related payments made.
In the absence of documentary proof of entitlement to claim on this commonage the herdowners concerned should seek to secure written agreement amongst themselves as to the respective areas to be claimed by each. My Department would be prepared to take due account of such an agreement.
Payment of 1999 suckler cow premium and 1999 cattle headage cannot be considered until such time as all area aid issues are resolved.
125 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason an application for the early retirement scheme for a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath, has not yet been processed, in view of the fact that it had been indicated that it would be dealt with within two months of the date of receipt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14090/00]
The person named applied for an early retirement pension on 23 December 1999. A very large number of applications were received at that time because the closing date for entry to the existing scheme was 31 December. The backlog in applications is now being given priority by local office staff and my Department is making every effort to expedite the processing of outstanding applications.
I would point out, however, that in no case does the processing time result in a financial loss to a retiring farmer. The operational procedures for the scheme specifically ensure that the date of receipt in the Department of a valid application determines the date from which payment is made.
