Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 May 2004
96 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a special beef premium grant cannot be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13970/04]
View answerThe person named submitted two applications under the 2003 special beef premium scheme, one on 9 June 2003 in respect of 23 animals and one on 1 December 2003 in respect of 33 animals. Under the EU regulations governing the 2003 scheme a stocking density of 1.8 livestock units per hectare applies, based on the forage area declared on an applicant's area aid application. As the forage area declared on the area aid application of the person named is 9.86 hectares, the number of units that may be calculated for livestock premium purposes is 17.74 livestock units, LU.
The 23 animals on the first application equated with a livestock unit value of 13.8 as each animal was deemed 0.6 LU, while the 33 animals on the second application equated with 19.8 LU with each animal again being deemed 0.6 LU. Thus, the 56 animals in question represented 33.6 LU. Given that the maximum number of units that may be calculated for premium purposes is 17.74, payment is restricted to this number and the relevant payments have been made in full.
97 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a bull premium and top up slaughter premium will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13972/04]
View answerThe person named submitted four applications under the 2003 special beef/bull premium scheme, one on 23 June 2003 in respect of seven animals, one on 7 October 2003 in respect of five animals, one on 20 October 2003 in respect of eight animals and one on 4 November 2003 in respect of one animal. Under the EU regulations governing the 2003 special beef premium scheme a stocking density of 1.8 livestock units per hectares applies, based on the forage area declared on an applicant's area aid application. As the forage area declared on the area aid application is 46.10 hectares, the number of units that may be calculated for livestock premium purposes is 82.98 livestock units.
The reckonable livestock units are obtained in respect of the calendar year as follows: male cattle seven months and up to and including 24 months old on which the producer applies for 2003 special beef and bull premium — 0.6 livestock unit each; male cattle over 24 months old on which the producer applies for 2003 special beef and bull premium — one livestock unit each; ewes on which the producer applies for 2003 ewe premium — 0.15 livestock unit each; notional dairy cows needed to produce 3,982 litres of any milk quota held at 31 March — 1 April 2003 — 1 livestock unit each; suckler cows on which the producer applies for 2003 suckler cow premium — one livestock unit each; heifers eight months and up to and including 24 months on which the producer applies for 2003 suckler cow premium — 0.6 livestock unit each; and heifers over 24 months on which the producer applies for 2003 suckler cow premium — one livestock unit each.
In this case, the milk quota of 366,683 litres utilises 92.08 livestock units — 366,683 divided by 3,982 — leaving no remaining livestock units to cover special beef premium. Therefore, the person named is not entitled to payment in respect of the 21 animals applied for under the 2003 special beef premium scheme. The person named has been paid the national envelope top-up under the 2003 slaughter premium scheme in full in respect of 12 animals. The national envelope top-up is paid on beef breed heifers who have qualified for the slaughter premium 2003 and are at least eight months and under 30 months on the date of slaughter within the EU or when exported live to a non-EU country. Forty animals were slaughtered under the herd number of the person named in 2003, of which twelve were eligible for the top-up.
98 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason the 2003 suckler cow grant has not been awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13974/04]
View answerThe person named applied for premium on 40 animals under the 2003 suckler cow premium scheme. When processing the application for payment it was found that the information recorded on CMMS for three animals was inconsistent with that provided by the herdowner and so required further clarification. The queries have now been resolved and payment will issue shortly.
99 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway did not receive the remaining part of their suckler cow grant 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13975/04]
View answerThe 2003 area aid application for the person named was processed by my Department in respect of 13.82 hectares. Subsequently, it was established that the area contained buildings. This resulted in a revised area determined for payment purposes of 13.65 hectares. The person named was paid €1,615.43 on 19 September 2003 under the 2003 area-based compensatory allowance scheme. He was paid €1,228.32 in respect of 13.82 hectares of more severely handicapped land at €88.88 per hectare and an additional sum of €387.11 under a compensation package agreed with the European Commission for farmers experiencing losses under the area-based compensatory allowance scheme. The revised area determined for payment is 13.65 hectares at €88.88 per hectare, amounting to €1,213.21, resulting in an over-payment of €15.11 under the 2003 area-based compensatory allowance scheme.
An application for premium on 16 animals under the 2003 suckler cow premium scheme was received on 29 January 2003. The 80% advance instalment amounting to €2869.12 issued to the applicant on 29 October 2003. At balancing payment stage the amount of €15.11 overpaid under the 2003 area-based compensatory allowance scheme was recouped from the 20% balance instalment of €717.28 and a cheque for €702.17 issued to the herdowner on 23 March 2004.
100 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a REP scheme 2 grant has not been awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13976/04]
View answerThe agri-environmental plan from the person named has been returned on several occasions for amendment in recent months. The most recent version, received in late March, is being examined at present and my Department will be in touch directly with the applicant when this examination is complete.
101 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he proposes to implement a so-called windfall claw-back on the cap entitlements of the 15,000 or more farmers who sold suckler cow quota during and immediately after the reference years, 2001-03; if so, the provision under which he considers himself legally entitled to apply such a retrospective measure; if he has taken account of the hardship or disadvantage which the move will cause; and if his attention has been drawn to the widespread anger and charges of grossly unfair and punitive treatment which are pouring out in the wake of the claw-back reports in the media. [14006/04]
View answerUnder the EU regulations governing the single payment scheme a member state may provide that a certain percentage of the single payment to be established for certain categories of farmers may be transferred to the national reserve — the so-called windfall profit clause. The categories of farmers concerned are in general those who sold or leased out their holding or part of their holding before 29 September 2003. The provision, if invoked, will not apply to a farmer who within one year of disposing of the holding has either bought or leased in another holding. Likewise, the provision will not apply where the farmer proves to the satisfaction of the member state that the price of sale or lease corresponds to the value of the holding without payment entitlements. These provisions are optional for all member states and a decision on whether or not to invoke the provisions in Ireland will be taken in due course in the context of the setting up of the national reserve.
102 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is not receiving area-based compensatory allowance for 2003. [14007/04]
View answerApplicants under the area-based compensatory allowance scheme must meet a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units per forage hectare of the holding in the year preceding application. However, farmers with some stock who are unable to meet that minimum stocking density but who traditionally qualified for headage grants in respect of cattle and/or sheep may continue to qualify for payment provided their land is being utilised and is not being under-grazed.
The person named, when replying to a letter from this Department, said she had no stock. Accordingly, she was not paid. My Department is now writing to her setting out why she was not paid, and offering her the usual right of appeal against that decision should she choose to exercise it.
