Vol. 532 No. 1
126 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason his Department issued area aid applications for 2001 last week as this will greatly encourage animal movement in view of the foot and mouth disease crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6877/01]
Pre-printed area aid application forms and helpsheets for 2001 were issued to some 131,000 farmers last week in order to facilitate their timely completion and return to the area aid unit, so that farmer payments can be made at the earliest possible date. The move from a headage to an area-based compensatory allowance payments system for farmers in less-favoured areas this year will result in an additional administrative workload in the area aid unit. In these circumstances and to facilitate meeting the various commitments set out in the Protocol on Direct Payments to farmers it was decided some time ago to ask farmers to submit their applications earlier this year than in previous years. Neither the issuing of area aid application forms or their return to my Department will have any impact on animal movement whatsoever. Many farmers use the services of Teagasc and other advisers in completing their area aid forms. In order to avoid farmers meeting at such offices, while the threat of foot and mouth disease remains, the closing date for the submission of completed area aid applications was extended by my Department last week from 30 March to 27 April 2001.
