Michael Ring
Question:160 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their area-based payments for 2002. [18010/02]
Adjournment Debate. - Grant Payments.
The 2002 area aid application of the person named has been fully processed with an area determined for payment purposes of 60.83 hectares. The person named was paid his full entitlement under the 2002 area-based compensatory allowance scheme on 8 October 2002.
Enda Kenny
Question:161 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the regulations and conditions which govern the payment of headage payments where off farm income applies; the limits involved in such cases; if there are categories of off farm employment and income where the drawing of headage payments is approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18011/02]
The old headage schemes were replaced from 2001 by the area-based compensatory allowance scheme. The main conditions for eligibility are that a minimum area of three hectares in a disadvantaged area is farmed, the applicant resides within 70 miles of the holding and a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units per forage hectare is maintained. Off-farm income is not a consideration in relation to the scheme.
Michael Ring
Question:162 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive an area-based payment for 2002; the problem with the case; when it will be resolved; and when this person will receive payment. [18098/02]
The 2002 area aid application of the person named has been fully processed with an area determined for payment purposes of 39.11 hectares. The person named will be paid his full entitlement under the 2002 area-based compensatory allowance scheme shortly.
Michael Ring
Question:163 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive an area-based payment for 2002; and the reason for the delay in the payment issuing. [18099/02]
Michael Ring
Question:165 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive the area-based payments for 2002; and the reason for the delay in the money issuing. [18148/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 165 together.
The person named included a parcel of land on his 2002 area aid application which overlapped with a land parcel claimed by another herdowner. The overlap was resolved in favour of the person named and his 2002 area aid application has now been fully processed with an area determined for payment purposes of 159.19 hectares. The person named will be paid his full entitlement under the 2002 area-based compensatory allowance scheme within the next seven days.
Tom Hayes
Question:164 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a decision will be made on an application for installation aid submitted by a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18147/02]
The application concerned is currently being examined in the relevant local office of my Department. By virtue of the protocol on direct payments to farmers, a period of either ten or 12 weeks is laid down for such examination. If the application is found to be in order, the protocol provides that payment must be made by my Department within six weeks of the date of approval of the application.
Question No. 165 answered with Question No. 163.
Michael Ring
Question:166 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the stocking density regulation in relation to the area-based payments is an EU directive or an Irish directive. [18149/02]
Under the provisions of Council Regulation No. 1257/1999, the minimum stocking density was to be decided by each member state. However, the European Commission questioned Ireland's original proposal that there would be no minimum stocking density requirement under the area-based compensatory allowance scheme. The Commission wished to ensure that land was being farmed, thus preventing problems of undergrazing. Ireland then proposed a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units per forage hectare, and this was accepted by the Commission. The minimum stocking density will not apply where agri-environment or other recognised environmental measures require a lower stocking density.
Michael Ring
Question:167 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not received the area-based payments for 2002; and when payment will issue. [18161/02]
The 2002 area aid application of the person named has been fully processed with an area determined for payment purposes of 70.07 hectares. The person named will be paid his full entitlement under the 2002 area-based compensatory allowance scheme shortly.
Michael Ring
Question:168 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive an area-based payment for 2002. [18200/02]
The 2002 area aid application of the person named has been fully processed with an area determined for payment purposes of 32.03 hectares. The person named was paid his full entitlement under the 2002 area-based compensatory allowance scheme on 3 October 2002.
Question No. 169 withdrawn.
Question No. 170 answered with Question No. 154.