John Perry
Question:81 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if a person (details supplied) in County Sligo can have land reclassified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6189/02]
Written Answers. - Land Reclassification.
The person named was paid €2886.77, £2273.52, on 25 September 2001 under the area-based compensatory allowance scheme in respect of 43.56 hectares of mountain type land at €57.14, £45, per hectare and including an additional sum of €397.76, £313.26, 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 to the person named under the 1998, 1999 and 2000 headage schemes and the amount payable under the 2001 area-based compensatory allowance scheme.
Following a thorough review of the area-based compensatory allowance scheme, proposals have been submitted to the European Commission for increased payment rates for farmers with mountain-type land. The proposals 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.