Vol. 568 No. 6
179 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when the 20% of the suckler cow grant, beef premium and slaughter premium will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17027/03]
The person named applied for premium on 26 cows and five heifers under the 2002 suckler cow premium scheme on 1 March 2002. Payment of his 80% advance instalment issued on 16 October 2002. Under the terms and conditions of the scheme, an applicant who has applied on 14 animals or more must continue to own, possess, hold and maintain on his holding during the six month retention period, a number of suckler cows at least equal to 60% and at most equal to 85%, and a number of heifers at least equal to 15% and at most equal to 40% of the total number of animals for which premium has been requested, or acceptable replacements for those animals.
When processing the application for balance payment, it was found in the case of the person named that one of the heifers applied on, tag no. 181725680036, had calved during the retention period, leaving only four heifers. In order to maintain the 15% ratio, this heifer would require a replacement. The question of whether the animal was replaced requires investigation and will be dealt with as soon as possible.
The person named applied for premium on 14 animals under the 2002 special beef premium scheme. Advance payments, at a rate of 80% of premium, have issued in respect of these animals.
The person named qualified for premium in respect of 21 animals under the slaughter premium scheme 2002. One of the animals was a beef breed heifer under 30 months of age at slaughter, and is therefore also eligible under the national envelope top-up. The 80% advance payment has issued under both schemes.
Under new control regulations introduced by the EU with effect from 1 January 2002 for the imposition of penalties, it is necessary to process all bovine premia scheme applications at producer level rather than individual scheme application level. This means that the 20% balancing payment for all the schemes mentioned above cannot issue until the suckler cow premium problem has been resolved.
