asked the Minister for Agriculture if considerable savings could be made by introducing a spot check rather than a blanket inspection of herds for the purpose of headage payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Herd Inspections.
821.
The EEC have insisted as a condition of payment under the calf premium scheme that all calves be inspected and identified. This means the vast majority of herds in the country must be inspected and so rules out any spot check system.
In the interests of economy a composite application form and common reference date are used to ensure that inspections under all cattle headage schemes are completed in the course of a single visit to each farm.
822.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if all inspections for cattle headage payments will be carried out before the end of September 1983 so that the price of store cattle will not become depressed as a result of the excessive number of cattle being offered for sale in late harvest and early winter.
Cattle inspections are commencing on 4 July this year, some seven weeks earlier than in 1982, and are scheduled to be completed by end October — as compared with mid-December last year.
Given the manpower available in my Department, completion of all inspections by end September is impossible but the earlier commencement of inspections this year should help to alleviate the peaking problem mentioned by the Deputy.