asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will arrange for immediate payment of headage grants to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Written Answers. - Headage Payments.
97.
The person named is an applicant under the 1987 and 1988 cattle and equines headage and special beef premium schemes and the 1987 calf premium scheme.
At an on-farm inspection for 1987 he presented only adult animals. He was not present at the 1988 on-farm inspection, but eligible animals were presented on his behalf by neighbours for the cattle and equines headage scheme only.
It is a condition of the cattle and equines headage scheme that applicants must occupy and farm at least 7.5 statute acres of utilised agricultural land in a designated area and reside in or near that area. My Department believe that the person named resides and works in England on a permanent basis and only returns to Ireland for a short visit each year. He denies this and has undertaken to produce evidence to support his denial. When he does so, the question of paying cattle and equines headage grants for 1987 and 1988 will be considered. The 1987 special beef premium grants will, however, be paid shortly.