Vol. 519 No. 5
129 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a person (details supplied) in County Gal way has received a letter demanding an overpayment of a headage grant that she received in 1993 to the value of £40.82; if such a demand should have been made shortly after the overpayment was made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14181/00]
The person named was paid £329.28 under the 1993 cattle headage scheme. This amount, which issued on 2 December 1993 and represented the first instalment of payment under this scheme, was based on 60% of the 1992 cattle headage grant of £548.80.
At second instalment stage on 3 March 1994, and on completion of processing of the 1993 area aid application, it was found that the total entitlement due to the herdowner under the scheme was £288.46. As the herdowner had already received £329.28, this represented an overpayment of £40.82.
Normally, producers would have been made aware of the overpayment at that time and recovery sought from other outstanding payments. However, as the person named ceased to apply under the various headage and premia schemes, full recovery was not affected. The Department has been examining outstanding overpayments and it is in this context that the letter referred to by the Deputy issued.
