Vol. 552 No. 1
155 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a person (details supplied) in County Sligo has not received a cattle headage payment; if all payments due will be immediately released; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11326/02]
The 2001 area aid application of the person named has been fully processed with an area determined for payment purposes of 49.18 hectares.
The person named was paid €1,952.34 under the 2001 area-based compensatory allowance scheme on 4 April 2002 in respect of 16.18 hectares of more severely handicapped land, lowland, at €88.88 per hectare and nine hectares of mountain land at €57.14 per hectare. This compares with his average headage payment of €929 under the old animal-based headage schemes in the three years 1998 to 2000 inclusive. Any further payment due as a result of increased rates will issue shortly.
The person named applied for premium on ten animals under the 2001 suckler cow premium scheme. He has been paid his full entitlement under this scheme on 3 April 2002.
156 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if an extensification premium will be granted to persons (details supplied); if he will take into account the fact that the error is less than one thousandth of the overall application; if his attention has been drawn to the financial hardship experienced by the family in the meantime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11327/02]
In 1999, applicants under the livestock premium schemes could qualify for extensification premium provided the stocking density was less than 1.4 livestock units per hectare. The person named applied for grants in respect of 54 suckler cows, 133 bullocks and 79 ewes. He declared a forage area of 109.11 hectares. The stocking density was therefore calculated at 1.4 livestock units per hectare. Since the regulation states that the stocking density must be less than 1.4 livestock units per hectare, the applicant was deemed to be ineligible for extensification premium.
157 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will review the application for grant aid under the dairy hygiene scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [11367/02]
It is a condition of this scheme that aid will not be given for work commenced or purchases made before written approval has been conveyed to an applicant by the Department. As the bulk milk tank on which grant aid was sought was purchased at the time of initial inspection, it is ineligible for grant aid.
158 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when an area aid payment for 2001 will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11368/02]
No area aid application was received from the person named for the year 2001. Under EU rules, unless an applicant submits a valid area aid application for the relevant year, no disadvantaged areas compensatory allowance payments can be made to him.
A person who fails to submit an area aid application may be paid livestock grants on up to 15 livestock units. The person named applied for premium on 12 animals under the 2001 suckler cow premium scheme. He has been paid his full entitlement based on 11 animals which is his suckler cow quota limit. An advance payment issued on 26 October 2001 with a balancing payment on 5 February 2002.
159 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary will receive a suckler cow premium for 2001. [11369/02]
The person named applied for premium on 17 animals under the 2001 suckler cow premium scheme for small-scale milk producers. Payment will issue within the next fortnight.
160 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a first year REP scheme 2 payment. [11370/02]
The person named has completed one year in his current REP scheme payment and must submit an application for his second annual payment. No such application has been received in my Department. It must be received in my Department by 31 May 2002 if the person named is to avoid penalty for late application.
161 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a REP scheme payment. [11371/02]
The IMPACT union had withdrawn its co-operation in respect of the processing of all REP scheme applications in all FDS offices throughout the country on the basis that a satisfactory solution to the implementation of the recommendations of a report carried out by the management services division of my Department on the staffing in the technical agricultural officer grades of the farm development service areas had not been finalised.
I am pleased to say that the industrial action has been suspended from this morning. This suspension allows the Labour Relations Commission to intervene in the matter.
The protocol on direct payments to farmers sets specific processing and payment targets for REP scheme payments. As a consequence of the industrial action, my Department will not now be able to achieve these targets in a number of cases; however, all outstanding REP scheme payments applications will be processed as a matter of urgency.
162 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when an appeal for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be finalised. [11392/02]
The person named was informed of problems on his 2001 suckler cow premium scheme application by letters dated 3 August 2001, 1 October 2001 and verbally on 6 September 2001. There is no record of having received a reply and the applicant was informed on 8 February 2002 that no grants would be paid on foot of the application. An appeal was subsequently lodged on 8 March 2002. This appeal is being examined at present and a reply will issue in the next few days.
163 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 106 of 28 March 2002 which stated no medical evidence was submitted in support of the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny for payment of extensification premium for 2001, the medical evidence which was submitted with the appeal dated 16 March 2002 has in fact been received by his Department, which also included a report from Teagasc; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11393/02]
The herd owner lodged an appeal to the headage and premium appeals unit on 21 March 2002 concerning 2001 extensification premium. The herd owner submitted a medical certificate and a letter from a Teagasc adviser with that appeal. Appeals require individual examination and are dealt with in the order in which they are received. This appeal will be examined in due course and the herd owner will be notified of the outcome.
164 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when payment of a suckler cow grant due since October 2001 will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [11448/02]
The person named applied for premium on ten animals under the 2001 suckler cow premium scheme. Payment will issue within the next week.
165 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a REP scheme payment for 2001 will issue to persons (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11449/02]
The file in this case is under examination together with that of another REP scheme applicant, as there were issues related to a transfer of land ownership between the two. My Department's examination of the issues involved in the cases is nearing conclusion. The persons named will be written to directly in the next two weeks with details of my Department's findings.
166 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when an animal disease grant under the disease eradication scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11450/02]
The person concerned was paid all appropriate compensation entitlements under the brucellosis eradication scheme for the depopulation of his herd in 1996. The appeal lodged for an additional payment based on a higher herd categorisation for compensation purposes is under active consideration within my Department and a final decision will be made very shortly and communicated to the person concerned.
167 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a suckler cow grant payment for 2001 has not been made to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11451/02]
The person named applied for premium on eight cows under the 2001 suckler cow premium scheme. In processing the application it was found that two of the animals were in fact heifers at the time of application. A formal notification issued to the applicant on 14 February 2002 informing him that one of the heifers would be accepted for payment and that the other heifer would be rejected from the claim with a resultant reduction penalty as it was in excess of the 20% heifer limit allowed under the terms and conditions of the scheme. The applicant accepted this decision without further appeal and the case has now been fully processed for payment, which will issue within the next week.
