As the Deputy is aware, all livestock premia and arable aid schemes have been replaced, since 1 January 2005, by the new single payment scheme. Accordingly, the quota regime in respect of the livestock premia schemes does not apply to the single payment scheme and, consequently, quotas, including individual suckler cow and ewe premium quotas, no longer exist for any farmer after that date and are not required to ensure payment of the single payment scheme in the future.
The person named does not have any entitlements established for him as he did not receive direct payments during the reference period. He applied under the force majeure and new entrant measures but did not qualify under either provision as he was not an applicant under the direct payment schemes during the reference years, 2000-2002, or the earlier reference years, 1997 to 1999.
The position with regard to the 2005 single payment national reserve is that applications were invited to the reserve in December 2004 and the closing date for receipt of completed applications was extended from 14 January 2005 to 21 January 2005. If the person named commenced farming after 31 December 2002 or during 2002 without having received a direct payment in that year, he should have applied to the reserve under category D. All applications to the 2005 single payment national reserve, including those under category D, are being processed at present and in view of the number of applications received and accompanying documentation submitted, it will be some time before processing is completed. The Deputy will appreciate, therefore, that it is not possible to indicate whether the person named will qualify for an allocation of entitlements from the reserve on foot of any application submitted. Applicants will be notified of their eligibility or otherwise as soon as all applications are processed.