Vol. 543 No. 4
51 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when area aid based headage payments will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27264/01]
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 shortly.
52 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if his attention has been drawn to the fact that due to changes in the disadvantaged area compensatory allowance scheme 2001, a person (details supplied) will suffer financial loss; if he will reconsider this person's classification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27265/01]
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 £2,263.25 on 25 September 2001 in respect of 8.61 hectares of more severely handicapped land – lowland – at £70 per hectare and 36.90 hectares of mountain-type land at £45 per hectare. This compares with his average payment of £1,125.76 in the three years 1998 to 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.
53 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a REP scheme payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim. [27283/01]
Payment issued to the person named on 30 October 2001.
54 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive an area-based payment. [27296/01]
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 shortly.
55 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive an area-based payment. [27297/01]
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 shortly.
56 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a suckler cow premium will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [27323/01]
The 80% advance payment under the 2001 suckler cow premium scheme will issue to the person named within the next two weeks.
57 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the date grant payment under each scheme of direct grant for farmers falls due; the extent to which these grants are paid late; and the estimated interest cost imposed on farmers as a result of being paid late. [27394/01]
The protocol on direct payments to farmers, agreed with the farming organisations, sets out the application arrangements for the various direct payment schemes as well as payment target dates. Details are as follows:
It was agreed under the protocol that payments under the new area based compensatory allowances scheme would commence on 21 September 2001. Payments commenced on that date and are still ongoing as queries relating to area aid applications and minimum stocking density requirements become resolved.
The target date for commencement of payments as specified in the protocol is that payment of each instalment will commence within seven days of publication of the regulation setting out the rate of payment and all eligible applicants will be paid within two weeks. The position with regard to the ewe premium scheme 2001 is that the EU regulation setting the rate of payment for the first instalment of premium was published on 31 May. In normal circumstances payments would issue within the targets agreed in the protocol. However, due to the discrepancies which were highlighted during the cull of sheep in the Cooley Peninsula and because inspections could not have been carried out during the foot and mouth disease crisis, further enhanced controls agreed with the European Commission had to be applied before payments could commence. While a number of query cases were still unresolved payments commenced on 20 July and £20.7 million was paid on that date. The regulation setting the rate of the second instalment was published on 12 October and payment commenced on schedule on 19 October. On that day 93% of all applicants were paid some £10 million. Overall a total of £37.7 million has been paid under the 2001 ewe premium scheme to date.
58 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the value of direct grants paid to farmers; and the cost of each scheme. [27395/01]
The detailed information requested will take some time to compile. I will arrange for the material to be sent directly to the Deputy as soon as it comes to hand.
