Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 May 2004
147 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon; the reason for the delay in issuing same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12631/04]
View answerPayment of the 2004 forestry premium will be made to the person in question shortly.
148 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the penalties which will apply as a result of a decision by his Department to penalise a person (details supplied) in County Galway under the bovine schemes for 2003; the level of penalty which will apply to the suckler cow grant 2003 and other livestock grants applied for; if such a penalty will apply to this person for their ewe premium scheme for 2003; his views on whether the information sought should be made available to this person in order to allow them to consider if they should make an appeal based on the information they receive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12632/04]
View answerThe person in question applied for a premium on 35 animals under the 2003 suckler cow premium scheme. An inspection carried out on 18 November 2003 found that one animal in respect of which a premium was applied for, animal tag No. 181950860076, did not comply with the identification and registration requirements set out in paragraph 38 of the terms and conditions of the scheme. The animal was rejected and a consequent reduction penalty was applied across the man's bovine schemes. Another animal, a heifer with the tag No. 181950810154, was found to be less than eight months old and has been deleted from the application without penalty. Eight unclaimed animals were also found to be CMMS non-compliant and this will result in a penalty being applied in accordance with paragraph 40 and 43 of the terms and conditions of the scheme. The overall penalty resulting for the person named will apply to his bovine schemes only when all bovine claims submitted by him have been finalised.
Correspondence about the matter was issued to the person named, who was advised that he could seek a review of the decision by contacting his district livestock office with new evidence or information that may assist his case. The applicant made contact on 3 March 2004 and his case was reviewed. My Department wrote to him on 29 March 2004 advising him that the results of the inspection remained unchanged. He was further advised that he could appeal this decision within three months by contacting the agricultural appeals office. The herd owner informed the district livestock office that he intends to lodge an appeal but, to date, the appeals unit does not have a record of correspondence from him.
An 80% advance payment in respect of 12 animals applied on under the special beef premium scheme in June 2003 has been paid. The balancing payment and any payments under an application lodged by the person named in December 2003 for four animals under the special beef premium scheme are delayed pending finalisation of the suckler cow premium case. The person in question was paid his full entitlement under the 2003 ewe premium scheme and ewe national envelope on 17 October 2003 and 10 March 2004, respectively. The person in question was paid his full entitlement of €4,443.97 under the 2003 area-based compensatory allowance scheme on 19 September 2003.
Based on the information available about the rejection of one claimed animal, the penalty applicable to the premia due on his claimed animals under the bovine — suckler cow and special beef premium — schemes and on any related extensification payments will be in the region of 1.5%, while the penalty applicable as a result of eight unclaimed animals being non-compliant with identification and registration requirements will be in the region of 8.5%.
