John Ellis
Question:205 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if his Department will pay headage grants for 2000 to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim. [23430/01]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The person named was paid his full entitlement of £408 under the 2000 cattle headage scheme on 4 October 2000. The person named was paid £582.32 on 3 October 2001 in respect of 12.94 hectares of mountain type land at £45 per hectare under the 2001 area based compensatory allowance scheme.
Michael Creed
Question:206 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will reinvestigate the payment under the 2001 area aid scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; the level of payment received per hectare; the classification of the land involved; and if the owner has a right of appeal on this matter. [23450/01]
The person named was paid £2,664.08 under the 2001 area based compensatory allowance scheme on 24 September 2001 in respect of 59.20 hectares of mountain type land at £45 per hectare. As the amount paid was greater than his average headage payment of £1,046.00 over the years 1998, 1999 and 2000, no compensation for loss under the area based scheme is due.
In 1997, a review of mountain type grazing lands for sheep headage purposes in the more severely handicapped areas and the less severely handicapped areas was carried out by my Department. All land classified as mountain type grazing was subsequently identified as such on the land parcel identification system. This designation as mountain type grazing suited most farmers, especially those engaged in sheep production, allowing them to be paid headage grants on mountain type ewes. However, in designating the areas concerned on the land parcel identification system, regard had to be had to certain natural boundaries such as rivers and roads and it was not possible to exclude certain farms where sheep production did not take place.
The new area based compensatory allowance scheme agreed in July 2000 and approved by the European Commission in the context of the CAP rural development plan provides for area related payments as follows: more severely handicapped, lowland – £70 per hectare up to 45 hectares; less severely handicapped, lowland – £60 per hectare up to 45 hectares; mountain type land – £45 per hectare up to 60 hectares. The scheme is currently under review with a view to finding the most equitable arrangements with particular reference to farmers with mountain type land.
Michael Creed
Question:207 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive a headage payment. [23451/01]
The 2001 area aid application of the person named has now been fully processed and payment of his full entitlement under the 2001 area based compensatory allowance scheme will issue before the end of October 2001.