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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 20 Jun 2000

Vol. 521 No. 4

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Paul Connaughton

Question:

105 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development whether, under the new sheep headage proposals recently announced, eligible sheep farmers in designated mountain grazing areas, as currently exist, will qualify in future for the new higher rate of payment of £17 per ewe. [17181/00]

The position is that a new area based compensatory allowance scheme is to be introduced with effect from 2001. As provided for in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, a task force representative of my Department and the main farming bodies was established to formulate proposals for a new scheme. The task force met on a number of occasions and having considered a range of options the group recommended a scheme which would involve a payment per hectare linked to the type of livestock on the holding. The proposals envisaged a one hectare payment for each livestock unit. I announced details of the proposed scheme on 29 May last. I also announced a £120 million increase in the overall allocation of money for disadvantaged area payments for the period 2001-06. In the case of farmers with mountain breeding ewes it was envisaged that a payment of £113.33 per hectare for each livestock unit subject to a maximum of 30 hectares would apply. This was the equivalent of £17 per ewe – one ewe represents 0.15 livestock units – up to a maximum of 200 ewes.

At a recent meeting with officials of my Department the European Commission expressed dissatisfaction with aspects of the scheme being proposed mainly on the grounds that it did not represent a clear shift from headage related payments to area related payments. That each livestock unit would attract one hectare payment was seen as continuing the link to production. The task now is to devise a scheme which is best suited to our requirements and which meets with Commission approval. My officials are in continuing contact with the Commission with a view to devising an alternative proposal. Further consultation is also taking place with the farming bodies with a view to formulating such a scheme.

Michael Finucane

Question:

106 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Limerick will be paid the differential outstanding in view of the fact that this person was previously paid reduced depopulation grants and in view of the agreement recently concluded. [17188/00]

The appropriate top-up payment was paid to the person concerned on 14 June 2000.

Michael Finucane

Question:

107 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Limerick will be paid the differential outstanding in view of the fact that this person was previously paid reduced depopulation grants and in view of the recently concluded agreement. [17189/00]

The recent agreement to make top-up payments to a number of herdowners was confined to those who were categorised at category 2 or category 3 under the 15 September 1997 brucellosis compensation scheme. The person referred to does not fall into either of these categories as his herd was categorised under the 27 April 1998 scheme because his herd's brucellosis breakdown occurred in February 1999.

Michael Creed

Question:

108 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be paid outstanding REPS, extensification and ewe premium grants. [17251/00]

The person named has been paid in full in respect of his participation in REPS and this includes a transitional payment which issued on 24 May 2000. As he had arrears of land annuity amounting to £2,906 at the end of 1999, the following payments were offset against the arrears:

Scheme

Amount £

1999 Suckler Cow Premium

372.80

1999 Special Beef Premium

318.96

1999 Ewe Premium

486.35

1999 Euro Compensation (SBP)

16.98

1999 Extensification Premium

431.30

1,626.39

The annuity arrears are now £1,508.61 after making allowance for all payments that have been stopped and the half-yearly instalment of £229.00 that fell due on 1 May 2000.
There are no other payments due to the person named under 1999 schemes except for a euro compensation payment under the 1999 ewe premium scheme which it is expected will be due for payment towards the end of this year. In the meantime any payments due to him under schemes for the year 2000 will be offset against the arrears until they are cleared.
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