Question:
342 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason for the delay in the payment of headage to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [30454/00]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
One of the parcels claimed by the person named in his 2000 area aid application overlapped with a parcel of land claimed by another applicant. The person named was contacted in this regard and in his reply clarified the position by including a map showing the correct position. This information has now been entered on to the Department's electronic database, and his application is clear for payment based on the full 43.92 hectares he included in his application. Any payments due will issue as soon as possible.
Willie Penrose
Question:343 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath is being paid REP scheme on only 50 acres in 2000; if he will have the plans for REP scheme in place for five years beginning 1999 and ending 2004 for all of this person's land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30455/00]
The original REPS application, received in my Department on 24 June 1999, stated that the person named owned and farmed 40.82 hectares. It subsequently emerged that at the time of application he did not have title to the lands in one of the folios which were the subject of the application. This land was therefore ineligible for payment at that time.
My Department is now satisfied that the above lands have now been fully registered in the applicants name. It is also satisfied that the lands have been managed in accordance with the REP scheme agri-environmental specifications. In all of the circumstances, my Department is prepared to make payment on the eligible area contained in the folio in question from the first anniversary of commencement in the scheme. This land will continue to be eligible for REPS payments for the remainder of the REPS contract. The participant has been informed of this.
Question:
344 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not received a headage payment. [30456/00]
The person named included commonage in his 2000 area aid application but did not provide proof of his entitlement to claim this commonage. The area aid unit has contacted the person named and requested him to submit the relevant proof. Until this matter is resolved no area aid related payments can issue.
Cecilia Keaveney
Question:345 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the position in relation to an area aid application for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30457/00]
The processing of the 2000 area aid application for the person named was delayed as one of the parcels claimed by him was also claimed by another herdowner. Maps issued to the person named with a view to resolving the matter.
The person named responded and clarified the particular circumstances by which he erroneously included the parcel concerned in his 2000 area aid application. In the particular circumstances of this case, the area aid unit accepted the dual claim as an obvious error on the part of the person named and allowed the parcel concerned to be deleted from his application without penalty.
Consequently the 2000 area aid application for the person named has been fully processed with no outstanding errors and the area for payment purposes has been determined at 5.11 hectares. Any payments due will issue as soon as possible.
Dan Neville
Question:346 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a beef premium payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [30458/00]
The person named applied for special beef premium in respect of 24 animals on 1 June 2000. His application was the subject of an on-farm inspection. During the course of that inspection it was discovered that two animals applied on were female. Consequently the person in question was deemed to have made a false declaration through serious negligence resulting in him being eliminated from the 2000 special beef premium scheme. The person named appealed this decision and the case is currently being reviewed. The person named will be informed of the outcome of this review as soon as possible.
Michael Creed
Question:347 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will give details of an application by a person (details supplied) in County Cork for suckler cow grants, beef cow grants, cattle headage and slaughter premiums in 2000; the grants paid to date; the amount of moneys still outstanding in respect of these applications; and the details of any penalties imposed for alleged inaccuracies in his application. [30533/00]
The person named made the following applications for special beef premium: two animals on 3 February 2000 and one animal on 28 April 2000. Payment totalling £230.58, representing 80% of the total due, has issued to the person named. The final 20% balancing payment in respect of the three animals will issue shortly.
Up to the end of October 2000, the latest date for which payments have issued, the herdowner had two animals eligible for the slaughter pre mium 2000 scheme on which he has received an 80% advance of £34.02. One of these animals also qualified for the national envelope top-up for beef breed heifers on which the applicant received an 80% advance of £14.40. Details and payments in respect of any animals slaughtered/exported in November and December 2000 will be issued in the coming days.
The amount of the balancing payment will not be known until the total number of animals eligible in the country under the slaughter premium 2000 is established.
The person named submitted an application for 13 animals – 12 cows and one heifer – under the 2000 suckler cow premium scheme on 30 May 2000. Applicants under the premia schemes may be paid premium on up to two reckonable livestock units only per hectare of forage area of the holding as established from the area aid application. The person named has an accepted area, following the imposition of a penalty for over declaration of forage area, of 6.91 hectares and therefore may be paid premia on up to 13.82 livestock units.
The reckonable livestock units of the person named are calculated as follows:
|
Ewe Premium (14 @ 0.15 LU) |
2.1 LUs |
|
Special Beef Premium (3 @ 0.6) |
1.8 LUs |
|
Total |
3.9 LUs |
As 3.9 LUs have been utilised under the 2000 ewe premium and special beef premium schemes a maximum of 9.92 LUs is payable under the 2000 suckler cow premium scheme. The person named will be paid suckler cow premium on one heifer (0.6LU) and 9.32 cows.
The total amount payable under the 2000 suckler cow premium scheme is £1521.06. Payments totalling £1,355.98 have already issued to the person named. The balance due of £165.08 will issue shortly.
The person named received his full entitlements of £276.04 on 13 December 2000 under the 2000 cattle headage scheme/2000 beef cow scheme.