John Ellis
Question:145 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if his Department will make a payment of a suckler premium to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim. [13280/01]
Written Answers - Grant Payments.
The person named applied on 22 cows under the 2000 suckler cow premium scheme. Five of the animals applied on were slaughtered within the six months retention period. Under the terms and conditions governing the scheme replacement must take place within 20 days of the event. As the person named only replaced these animals 23 days later it was not possible to accept them as eligible replacements.
My Department notified him by letter of 12 October 2000 that as four animals applied on – this figure was reduced from five as his quota is for 21 cows – were not maintained for the duration of the retention period, or suitably replaced, they would be rejected from his application. He was also advised that as the number of rejected animals exceeded 20% of the number accepted, no payment would issue to him under the scheme. The person named appealed this decision to the independent headage and premia appeals unit where the case was fully re-examined. He was advised by letter of 23 April 2001 that his appeal was successful.
The four animals will be deleted from his application without penalty and payment of his entitlement in respect of the 17 eligible animals will issue to him within the next seven days.