Vol. 542 No. 5
208 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will reassess an area aid payment for a person (details supplied); the reason it has been reduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24995/01]
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 £816.30 on 25 September 2001, in respect of 18.14 hectares of mountain type land at £45 per hectare, together with an additional sum of £121.41 under a compensation package agreed with the European Commission for farmers experiencing losses under the 2001 area-based compensatory allowance scheme. The additional sum is equal to 90% of the difference between the average sum of the headage payments, in this case under the 1998, 1999 and 2000 headage schemes and the amount paid under the 2001 area-based compensatory allowance scheme.
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 10 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.
209 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason REP scheme payments to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo have been reduced. [25055/01]
The person named submitted an agri-environmental plan in September 1999 showing just over 25 hectares as eligible for payment under the scheme. The area consisted of 21.01 hectares of commonage and 4.08 hectares of owned land and he was paid accordingly. The applicant has now submitted an agri-environmental plan in which he has declared the commonage as ineligible for payment in section 5 of the plan. This reduction in eligible area – as advised to my Department by the applicant – may mean that there has been an overpayment and it will result in reduced payments in future. The question of an overpayment is being examined in my Department.
210 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not received a REP scheme payment. [25056/01]
An application under REPS 2000 was received from this person on 31 August 2001, and is being processed in accordance with the payment targets agreed with the farming organisations in the protocol on direct payments to farmers. Under the protocol, if an application is selected for pre-payment inspection my Department has 14 weeks to process it to the stage where it is scheduled for payment. The period is 12 weeks for applications that are not selected for inspection.
211 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a cheque for £100 for a course completed in Westport, County Mayo under the REP scheme. [25057/01]
To receive payment in respect of a REPS training course, a participant must submit his course certificate to his local farm development service office. The office in question has no record of receiving the certificate in this case.
212 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason for the delay in processing payment of REP scheme applications; and the plans he has to provide more staff at the Carrick-on-Shannon office to deal with the backlog. [25061/01]
My Department's office in Carrick-on-Shannon, like all local offices, makes every effort to deal with applications in accordance with the payment targets set down in the protocol on direct payments to farmers. While the Carrick-on-Shannon office is very busy, there is no significant backlog in the processing of REPS applications. However, while I have no plans at present to allocate additional resources to this office, staff have recently been approved to work evenings and Saturdays in local offices nationwide to clear any backlog in REPS applications. I will continue to keep this under review.
