Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 14 Nov 2001

Vol. 544 No. 1

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Jim Higgins

Question:

155 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason an application for headage by a person (details supplied) in County Mayo was paid at the lesser rate of £45 per hectare instead of £70 per hectare. [28142/01]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

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 and mountain-type land, £45 per hectare up to 60 hectares.

The person named was paid £782.55 on 25 September 2001 in respect of 17.39 hectares of mountain-type land at £45 per hectare, together with an additional sum of £428.45 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 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 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.

Brendan Kenneally

Question:

156 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will expedite area based headage payments to sheep farmers on the Knockmealdown Mountains, County Waterford; the reason for the delay in issuing payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28163/01]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

Some 394 farmers in the Knockmealdown Mountains region of County Waterford applied under the 2001 area based compensatory allowance scheme. Of these 332 have been paid. My Department is in the process of resolving problems in the remaining 62 cases with a view to making payments in eligible cases at an early date.