Vol. 535 No. 1
227 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if any study has been carried out by his Department in respect of the alleged discrepancies between the number of sheep culled arising from the recent foot and mouth outbreak in County Louth and the financial expenditure incurred in the form of direct income aids breached in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11943/01]
My Department is currently carrying out a reconciliation between the number of sheep culled arising from the foot and mouth outbreak in County Louth and the number of sheep on which premium was claimed under the 2001 ewe premium scheme. Following preliminary investigations, it was found that some 49,100 sheep were culled whereas some 38,900 sheep were the subject of 2001 ewe premium applications in the areas concerned. Detailed analysis of all the information available is continuing and this exercise will be completed at the earliest date.
