Michael Ring
Question:196 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo was paid an area based payment in respect of mountain type land. [24937/01]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
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 person named was paid £1,971.06 on 24 September 2001 in respect of 43.8 hectares of mountain type land at £45 per hectare. This compares with his average headage payment of £1,157.67 over the years 1998, 1999 and 2000.
Following a thorough review of the area based compensatory allowance scheme, proposals have now been submitted to the European Commission for increased payment rates for farmers with mountain type land. The proposal involves making a payment of £80 per hectare on the first ten hectares of mountain type land with a payment of £70 per hectare on each remaining hectare subject to an overall payment ceiling of 45 hectares. Subject to securing the necessary EU approval it is intended that the revised payment rates will take effect in the current year.
Michael Ring
Question:197 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason an area based payment for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not issued. [24938/01]
The 2001 area aid application for the person named has been fully processed and payment due under the 2001 area-based compensatory allowance scheme will issue before the end of October.
Paul McGrath
Question:198 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason an application by a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath for a grant under the control of farmyard pollution scheme has been delayed; and if payment of this money will be expedited. [24960/01]
The national scheme for the control of farm pollution, now replaced by the new farm waste management scheme, was extremely successful and uptake exceeded all expectations. The EU-imposed ceiling for expenditure under this scheme has been reached and my Department has applied to the EU Commission to formally raise the ceiling. A number of payments under the scheme, including payment to the person mentioned in the question, have been delayed pending receipt of this formal approval. Following recent discussions between my Department and the European Commission a positive response is expected very shortly. All payments will issue immediately approval is received.
Jimmy Deenihan
Question:199 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when an area aid payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24986/01]
The person named submitted an area aid application, which included three parcels in respect of which dual claims were determined. My Department contacted both herd owners to clarify the matter. The person named submitted correspondence indicating that he had no entitlement to claim the land in question. Under Article 9 of EU Regulations 3887/92, no penalty is applied where the difference is less than 3%, the penalty is based on double the difference when it is between 3% and 20% and when the difference is over 20%, a 100% penalty must be applied. The penalty applicable in this case was 100%. Consequently, no area aid linked payments can be made to him in respect of 2001.