Andrew Boylan
Question:106 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a nine month premium was not paid to a person (details supplied); if he will make payment forthwith. [6421/01]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The persons named will be paid the nine month premium on the six animals concerned within the next two weeks.
Jimmy Deenihan
Question:107 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when headage grant payments will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6422/01]
The person named applied on 40 cows and five heifers under the 2000 cattle headage scheme on 31 May 2000. At an inspection carried out on 11 September 2000 it was established that only six of the cows in question had calved in 2000.
The person named informed my Department on 20 February that all animals applied on had been sold. Under the regulations governing the scheme in question the high rate of grant which is £84 per animal is payable on animals that are primarily part of a herd intended for rearing calves intended for meat production. In this case the animals applied on could not be considered to be part of such a herd. It has been decided to treat the animals in question as cull cows. The person named is therefore entitled to payment on up to a maximum of 30 livestock units, eight livestock units at £40 each and 22 livestock units at £33 each, giving a maximum entitlement of £1,046.
The person in question was written to on 27 February 2001 outlining the decision taken and offering him the opportunity to have this decision reviewed within 21 days by my Department.
Pádraic McCormack
Question:108 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he proposes to increase the new area based payments which are currently fixed at £45 for 60 hectares in mountain areas; the plans he has to increase the 60 hectare limit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6423/01]
The position is that a review of the compensatory allowances scheme is being carried out to see if an equitable long-term solution can be found to the problem of reduced payments, particularly in mountain type areas. While the new area based scheme is now in operation, a compensation package which I negotiated ensures that 90% of losses will be made good this year, reducing to 80% in 2002 and 50% in 2003. Under these arrangements the average loss this year will be about £32 rising to £64 in 2002.