Vol. 567 No. 1
168 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a suckler cow grant for 2002 has not been awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13401/03]
The 2002 area aid application for the person named has been fully processed and an area determined for payment purposes of 61.02 hectares.
The person named applied for premium on 18 January 2002 for ten animals under the 2002 suckler cow premium scheme under herdnumber G2620293. A further application for premium in respect of 17 cows and three heifers was lodged by him on 16 May 2002 under herdnumber G2631252 with a note stating that his father was retiring from farming and that the suckler cow quotas were being amalgamated. The herdnumbers were subsequently amalgamated under G2631252.
169 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway is not entitled to the installation aid grant in view of the fact that this person had 5.5 hectares prior to January 2002; if this person will be considered under the old installation aid scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13402/03]
The current installation aid scheme applies only to farmers set up in farming for the first time on or after 1 January 2000. As the person named has been both the registered owner of land in excess of five hectares and the holder of a herd number prior to that date, he was deemed ineligible to participate in the current scheme.
However, the national scheme of installation aid applies to farmers set up in farming for the first time on or after 1 January 1995. If the person named considers that he may be eligible under the terms of the national scheme of installation aid, he should submit a completed application form and the relevant supporting documents to his local agricultural environment and structures office as soon as possible.
170 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a 2002 suckler cow grant will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13403/03]
The person named applied for premium for 25 animals under the 2002 suckler cow premium scheme. In processing the application it was found that the movement details recorded on the CMMS for one animal tag number 181341420144 were incorrect. The applicant was made aware of this and was advised to contact the mart where purchased. However further examination of veterinary records shows the animal was tested in the herd of the person named at dates that would indicate that the animal was in his herd during the required retention times. While the inconsistency on the CMMS will be followed up with a view to having it corrected the application will now be processed for payment and same will issue shortly.
171 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway is not in receipt of more than ?183 per month from her EU retirement pension scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13404/03]
The person named is a participant in the early retirement scheme introduced under EU Council Regulation 2079/92, which she entered in joint management with her husband.
It is a provision of the Council regulation that any national retirement pension to which a scheme participant becomes entitled must be offset against the early retirement pension. In joint management cases, any national retirement pension that either the participant or his or her spouse or partner qualifies for must be offset against the early retirement pension.
The husband of the person named is in receipt of a non-contributory old age pension. Consequently, the amount of that pension must be deducted from her early retirement pension.
