Vol. 524 No. 5
228 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will intervene on behalf of a person (details supplied) and have the date of birth for an animal amended in view of the fact that the paperwork has already been cleared in his local office; if he will ensure that this person's cattle headage payment for 2000 is released; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23010/00]
Payment of £1,566.96, representing his entitlement under the 2000 cattle headage scheme has now issued to the person named. His application was subject to a 2.77% reduction penalty in accordance with the terms and conditions governing this scheme since animal tag number WGYS0029X was slaughtered during the two months retention period and the person named did not have a replacement animal.
229 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a REP scheme payment has not been paid in full to a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23011/00]
The person named completed his fifth year in the rural environment protection scheme on 31 May 2000. The EU Commission introduced transitional arrangements, Commission Regulation 2603/1999, for REPS participants whose agri-environmental plans commenced on or after 1/9/1994 and who have completed a five year contract. Under the transitional rules an extension to contracts may only be awarded up to 31/12/2000. Therefore, this payment was based on a seven month contract.
The application was made fully aware of these conditions when he was invited to apply for the extension to his contract.
230 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if farmers with multiple herd numbers who exceeded the 90 by ten months and 90 by 20 months gross beef premium claims have had to repay moneys to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23035/00]
The special beef premium scheme conditions on animal numbers limited have been changed following the Agenda 2000 agreement. Since 1 January 2000 the limits have been increased to 180 animals for each of the first and second age categories for special beef premium.
In order to qualify for special beef premium, a producer must be a registered herdowner whose holding is situated within the State. A "holding" is defined as all the production units managed by a producer. Each producer is obliged to comply with the 180 head limit per category regardless of the number of herd numbers allocated to that individual.
