Vol. 530 No. 2
69 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will rescind the decision made in relation to cattle headage payment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3422/01]
The person named applied on 20 beef cows under the 2000 cattle headage scheme. At an inspection on 12 October 2000, three of the animals were absent, having been sold within the two month retention period. The sale was not notified to my Department as required under the regulations and the animals in question were not replaced. The other 17 animals were rejected under clauses 6 and 13(b) of the conditions of the 2000 cattle headage scheme. Clause 6 states that a "beef cow" shall mean any cow listed on the application which belongs to a meat breed or is born of a cross with a meat breed and is part of a herd intended for rearing calves for meat production. Clause 13(b) states that each suckler cow listed on an application should be a suckler cow belonging to a herd intended for rearing calves for meat production. There is no record on the calf registration system that the cows in question have calved on the dates given on the application form and in addition, none of the cows listed by the applicant on his 1999 cattle headage application appear again on the 2000 application. The inspecting officer is satisfied that the cows listed on the application did not form part of a herd intended for rearing calves for meat production.
70 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will ensure that a slatted house grant payment to a person (details supplied) is immediately released; the reason the grant has not been paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3423/01]
The person named was issued with an approval to construct a slatted shed and effluent tank under the national scheme for the control of farm pollution by the local office of my Department in Sligo. On 21 December 2000, the office received a notification of completion of investment works from the person named. A recent inspection of the investment works revealed that the effluent tank had been constructed. However, while work had commenced on the slatted shed it was not yet completed. Payment for the investment works cannot be approved until all works are completed and are found to be constructed in accordance with the required specifications. The person named should notify the local office when all works have been completed and a further inspection will be arranged.
