Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 May 2003

Vol. 567 No. 5

Written Answers. - Special Beef Premium.

Willie Penrose

Question:

199 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the proposals and measures he is putting forward to deal with the possible reduction in the special beef premium payments as a result of the overshoot of the natural ceiling which occurred at the end of 2002, and which was caused by the publication of the Fischler proposals for the review of the CAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14616/03]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

My Department has made a very strong case to the European Commission outlining specific proposals to deal with the overshoot on the special beef premium in respect of 2002. The main justification put forward for special treatment of Ireland's overshoot was the fact that the early publication of a confidential draft legal text of the Commission proposals for the mid-term review gave rise to a surge of applications submitted to my Department in late December 2002 which contributed to the scale of the overshoot. The Commission, in its reply, acknowledges the exceptional circumstances leading to the overshoot in 2002 and specifically the impact that the leaking of these proposals had on the scale of the overshoot. It goes on to state that it is not ready to propose a derogation from the Council regulation while this issue is part of the current discussion on the reform proposals in the Council.

I am satisfied that the Commission implicitly acknowledges that this matter may be further considered in the context of the mid-term review negotiations and I will now take this matter up directly with Commissioner Fischler. In the meantime, I can confirm that advance payments, at the rate of 80% of premium, have issued in respect of eligible animals and that balancing payments at the rate of 20% of premium have issued to applicants who have applied on a total number of fifty animals or less in 2002. However, it has not been possible to finalise the quota overshoot calculation for 2002 as my Department is awaiting separate clarification from the European Commission on the application of a number of technical issues in the relevant EU regulations. A decision will be made on the processing of the remaining special beef premium balancing payments as soon as this clarification is received.