Vol. 523 No. 4
83 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the current situation regarding an application by a person (details supplied) in County Cork for 2000 beef premium; and if he will make arrangements to pay the application in full in view of the fact that the retention period was not complied with due to a disease outbreak in the herd and a permit issued by his Department in respect of animals being sent for slaughter. [21143/00]
An application for special beef premium was received by my Department from the person named on 8 March 2000 in respect of five animals.
Following validation against Department records, it was discovered that one animal on the application had been slaughtered within the retention period. The district veterinary office issued a permit for the compulsory slaughter of three animals under the disease eradication scheme. However, the animal which was the subject of the special beef premium application was not slaughtered on foot of a permit issued by the Department.
As the animal in question was not compulsorily slaughtered during the retention period and it was the applicant's responsibility to maintain the animal for this period, the animal must be rejected from the application with a consequent reduction in payment on the remaining animals.
