The extent of the overshoot on the 2002 special beef premium is not yet fully calculated though a significant overshoot will arise. The scale of the overshoot is the result of a surge of applications submitted to my Department in late December 2002. This followed the early publication of a confidential draft legal text of the Commission proposals for the mid-term review, which included 2002 as one of three reference years for the purposes of establishing entitlements to the single direct payment. I have brought the matter to the attention of the European Commission with a view to finding a means of minimising the impact on farmers.