Michael Ring
Question:175 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not received an area based payment and suckler cow premium for 2001. [4509/02]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The person named added a new plot of land to his 2001 area aid application.
A delay occurred in the processing of the application as the person named failed to respond to a request for information on this new plot of land. The 2001 area aid application for the person named has now been fully processed and payment due under the 2001 area-based compensatory allowance scheme will issue shortly.
The person named applied for premium for 38 animals under the 2001 suckler cow premium scheme. The application has been processed to payment stage and payment will issue shortly.
Dinny McGinley
Question:176 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a sheep headage payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal. [4546/02]
The animal-based headage schemes were replaced in 2001 by the area-based compensatory allowance scheme.
The person named was paid a total of €1501.64, £1182.64, on 21 November 2001 under the area-based compensatory allowance scheme in respect of 26.28 hectares of mountain type land at €57.14, £45, per hectare. This compares with his average headage payment of €138.27, £108.90, under the old animal-based headage schemes in the three 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 €101.58, £80, per hectare on the first ten hectares of mountain-type land with a payment of €88.88, £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 apply to the 2001 scheme.