Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 27 Feb 2002

Vol. 549 No. 4

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Donal Carey

Question:

146 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the number of farmers in County Clare who have applied for the new farm building schemes; the number of applications rejected; and the number of applications approved, paid and not investigated to date. [6995/02]

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

The following is the information requested by the Deputy in relation to the processing of applications under the on farm investment schemes in County Clare as of 22 February 2002:

Scheme	Farm Waste Management	Alternative Enterprise	Dairy Hygiene
No. of applications received	231	7	45
No. of applications rejected	56	2	8
No. of applications approved	125	2	21
No. paid	3	0	0
No. not yet investigated	18	0	6
No. being processed	29	3	10

Donal Carey

Question:

147 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the number of farmers in County Clare who have not received payment under the area compensatory scheme; the reasons therefor; and the number of farmers in County Clare who received payments under this scheme. [6996/02]

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

Some 6,179 applicants under the 2001 area based compensatory allowance scheme have been paid to date in County Clare. A total of 197 cases have not been paid, as follows:

Not paid	Reason
138*	Insufficient stocking density
41	Errors in Area Aid
14	Invalid herd numbers
4	Various problems

*All farmers paid headage payments for cattle and sheep in 2000 have been paid area based payment in 2001 based on their 2001 applications. The remaining farmers were all written to in relation to stock numbers and a number of them never replied to the letter.

Michael Ring

Question:

148 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not received a special beef premium payment and a suckler cow premium for 2001. [7000/02]

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

The person named submitted an area aid application which included land that was also claimed by another herdowner. My Department contacted both herdowners to clarify the matter and has now found in favour of the person named. His area aid application has now been fully processed with no outstanding errors.

The person named submitted five applications in respect of 12 animals for 2001 special beef premium. Outstanding payments in respect of special beef premium will issue in early March now that the area aid issue has been clarified.

The person named applied for premium for 20 animals under the 2001 suckler cow premium scheme. According to the terms and conditions of the scheme premium is payable on each eligible suckler cow-heifer within the individual suckler cow quota limit applicable to the producer. An 80% advance payment issued on 26 October 2001 to the person named for 16 animals, which is the number of suckler cow quota rights on record for him. As the area aid application is now fully processed the 20% balancing entitlement under the suckler cow scheme will issue as soon as possible.