Ned O'Keeffe
Question:54 Mr. N. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Cork is entitled to a further suckler cow quota on hardship grounds. [31727/03]
Written Answers. - Suckler Cow Quota.
The person named submitted an application form for an allocation of suckler cow quota from the 2004 national reserve under category D, which caters for regular applicants under the suckler cow premium scheme who require additional quota to ensure viability of their holdings. He indicated on his form that he would be applying for suckler cow premium in 2004 in respect of four animals. Since he already had four suckler cow quota rights, it was accepted in my Department that the person named intended applying for four additional quota rights from the national reserve. Following processing of his application, it was established that he satisfied the criteria for an allocation of quota under category D. He was allocated four suckler cow quota rights from the reserve, which brought his total quota to eight quota rights and he was informed accordingly on 12 November 2003.
I have arranged for an official from the quota section of my Department at Michael Davitt House, Castlebar, County Mayo, to contact the person named on this issue.