Vol. 558 No. 2
114 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason the 2002 area based payment and suckler cow grant have not been made to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23845/02]
The 2002 area aid application of the person named has been fully processed with an area determined for payment purposes of 26.51 hectares. Payment of his full entitlement under the 2002 area-based compensatory allowance scheme will issue shortly.
The person named applied on six cows under the 2002 suckler cow premium scheme on 15 April 2002. Four of the cows he applied on were in fact in-calf heifers on the date of application. My Department wrote to the person named on 7 August 2002 requesting calving dates for these four animals and, as no reply was received, issued a reminder letter to him on 7 October 2002. An official from Teagasc contacted my Department on 31 October on behalf of the person named and a letter was received from Teagasc on 7 November 2002 stating that the person named had understood he could apply on in-calf heifers as cows provided that they calved before the closing date of the 2002 suckler cow premium scheme on 28 June 2002. A letter from the person named was also enclosed requesting to withdraw the application and to re-apply for 2002 suckler cow premium on four cows and two heifers. My Department has considered this request and has decided to accept the withdrawal of the original application and his re-application. The date of the new application is 28 June 2002. This application is now being processed for payment. Payment will issue to him shortly.
