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Grant Payments.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 October 2004

Tuesday, 19 October 2004

Questions (292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297)

Paul Connaughton

Question:

432 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason an area based payment and other payments have not issued to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25396/04]

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Written answers

The person was selected for on-farm inspection in 2004. The inspector found that he had claimed entitlement to graze on a commonage for which he did not have a rental or leasehold agreement. This resulted in an area over-claim of 0.85 hectares or 3.65%. Where an over-claim of more than 3% or more than two hectares, but not exceeding 20% of the forage area declared, is established, the forage area found is reduced by twice the difference between the area declared and the area found. The reduced area found following penalty was 20.3 hectares and payment in respect of this area under the 2004 area based compensatory payments scheme will be made shortly.

The person named has to date lodged no applications under the 2004 EU special beef premium scheme and was not an applicant under the scheme in previous years. The person named is not an applicant under the 2004 suckler cow premium schemes or those of previous years. The person named submitted an application under the 2004 extensification premium scheme.

With regard to 2004 and earlier extensification premia, since he did not lodge special beef premium or suckler cow premium applications, there are no eligible animals on which payment can be based. If he submits a special beef premium application later in the year, he can be considered for payment under that scheme and the extensification premium scheme. Payment of the latter is not due to start until June 2005.

The person named had one animal eligible for payment under the 2003 EU slaughter premium scheme and was paid in full on this animal on 1 April 2004. So far he has no animals eligible for payment under the 2004 scheme. He received his full entitlements under the 2003 ewe supplementary premium and ewe national envelope on 2 February and 10 March 2004 but did not lodge a 2004 application under this scheme.

John Perry

Question:

433 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when headage payment will be issued to a person (details supplied) for 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004; if a decision will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25477/04]

View answer

Payments under the 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 area based compensatory allowance scheme were made to the person named on 25 September 2001, 15 October 2003, 8 December 2003 and 20 September 2004, respectively. The person named applied for premium on 53 animals under the 2001 suckler cow premium scheme. He has not lodged any application under the suckler cow scheme since.

Under the 2001 special beef premium scheme, the person named submitted two applications, one on 8 February 2001 in respect of two animals and one on 18 September 2001 in respect of six animals. Under the 2002 special beef premium scheme, the person named submitted one application on 26 November 2002 in respect of two animals. Under the 2003 special beef premium scheme, the person named submitted one application on 22 December 2003 in respect of three animals. Processing of these claims was suspended pending the completion of an investigation into the identification and registration of bovine animals on his holding. These investigations are now complete and full payment in respect of all animals applied on will issue shortly.

Under the 2004 special beef premium scheme, the person named has lodged three applications to date, one on 20 January 2004 in respect of two animals, one on 3 February 2004 in respect of three animals and one on 3 March 2004 in respect of one animal. The 60% advance payments in respect of all three applications issued on 18 October 2004 and amount to €720.00.

With regard to extensification premia for years 2001 to 2003, inclusive, eligibility has been established on stocking density grounds. Payment of this premium, which will issue shortly, will be based on the numbers of animals on which the person named has already qualified for payment of suckler cow premium and special beef premium. The person named submitted an application under the 2004 extensification premium scheme. Payments under this scheme are due to commence in June 2005. The application will be considered in due course.

Payments under the 2001 and 2002 ewe supplementary premium scheme were made to the person named on 20 July 2001, 3 November 2003 and 27 November 2003. Under the terms and conditions of the 2003 ewe supplementary scheme an applicant must have at least ten eligible ewes to qualify for payment. As the person named applied on only six ewes under the 2003 scheme he did not qualify for payment. No application was received from the person named under the 2004 ewe supplementary premium scheme.

Under the 2001 EU slaughter premium scheme, the person named had one animal deemed eligible for payment. Under the 2002 EU slaughter premium scheme, the person named had two animals deemed eligible for payment. Under the 2003 EU slaughter premium scheme, the person named had one animal deemed eligible for payment. Processing of these claims was suspended pending the completion of the investigation into identification and registration of bovine animals on his holding. Full payment in respect of eligible animals under the 2001, 2002 and 2003 EU slaughter premium schemes will issue shortly.

Under the 2004 EU slaughter premium scheme, the person named has had two animals deemed eligible for payment so far. The 60% advance payments of livestock premia commenced on 16 October 2004 and payment in amount of €96.00 has issued in respect of these animals.

Question No. 434 answered with QuestionNo. 430.

John Perry

Question:

435 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a decision will be made on the force majeure payment for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25479/04]

View answer

The person named has been notified that the circumstances outlined in his single payment scheme application, that is, illness of the applicant, satisfied the criteria for force majeure-exceptional circumstances under article 40 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1782/2003. The reference year 2002 will be excluded in the calculation of the provisional entitlements and the provisional entitlements for the above named person will be based on the reference years 2000 and 2001 only.

Paul Connaughton

Question:

436 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when an area aid payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25531/04]

View answer

My Department has been corresponding with the person named over a long period concerning a land parcel, which is being claimed by the person named and another area aid applicant. This dual claim initially arose in 2003 and has been repeated in 2004. My Department proposes to pay the person named on foot of the area declared by him less this parcel — subject to any penalty arising from overdeclaration of the parcel. Payment will issue shortly and if the person named subsequently proves his entitlement to the parcel, payment can be increased accordingly.

Paul Connaughton

Question:

437 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when an area aid grant will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25532/04]

View answer

The person named was selected for an on-farm inspection in 2004. His 2004 area aid application has been fully processed with an area of 39.27 hectares determined for payment purposes. Consequently payment under the 2004 area based compensatory allowance scheme will be made shortly.

Paul Connaughton

Question:

438 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if all cattle headage and area based payments for 2004 have issued to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25533/04]

View answer

During processing of the named person's area aid application, an incorrect date of receipt was recorded in the area aid unit of the Department. This resulted in a 15% late submission penalty. This error has been rectified and the application is fully processed with an area determined for payment purposes of 15.39 hectares. Payment under the 2004 area based compensatory allowance scheme issued to the person named on 17 September last. The person named is not an applicant under the suckler cow premium scheme or ewe supplementary premium scheme in 2004.

The person named has to date lodged no applications under the 2004 EU special beef premium scheme or the 2004 EU slaughter premium scheme. The person named has submitted an application under the 2004 extensification premium scheme. Payments under this scheme are due to commence in June 2005. The application will be considered in due course.

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