Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 2

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Jimmy Deenihan

Question:

179 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a beef premium payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4550/02]

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

The person named submitted four applications for the special beef premium scheme in 2001 in respect of a total of 115 animals.

Each applicant for livestock premia is entitled to be paid up to a maximum of two livestock units per hectare of the forage area declared on their area aid declaration. The forage area in this case is 44.26 hectares and therefore the maximum units available to the applicant is 88.52 livestock units.

The reckonable livestock units are obtained in respect of each calendar year as follows:

Male cattle up to and including 24 months on which special beef premium is claimed	0.6 livestock units each
Male cattle over 24 months old on which special beef premium is claimed	1 livestock unit each
Ewes on which ewe premium is claimed	0.15 livestocks units each
Suckler cows	1 livestock unit each
Milk quota divided by 911 gallons (applicant in milk recording scheme)	1 livestock unit each

When the milk quota of 67,751 gallons, of the person named, is divided by the recorded milk yield per cow of 911 gallons, the livestock unit entitlement available for special beef premium is 14.16 livestock units.

Advance payment of special beef premium in respect of the equivalent of 22.6 animals issued to the person named on 3 December 2001. Advance payment will issue in respect of animal Tag No. 151253290056 when the cattle movement monitoring system, CMMS, is updated to show that this animal was in the named person's herd at the date of the herd reconciliation – 31 December 2000. Balancing payments will issue in respect of all eligible animals in April 2002.

The person named was paid an 80% advance payment on slaughter premium on 218 eligible animals, 28 of which also qualified for national envelope top-up, slaughtered during the period 1 January 2001 to 30 September 2001.