John Fahey
Ceist:79 Mr. J. Fahey asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when payment of a land reclamation grant will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
I expect this grant to be paid within the next few weeks.
Louis J. Belton
Ceist:80 Mr. Belton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason advance payments on the ewe premium scheme have been delayed; if his attention has been drawn to the hardship caused to farmers owing to delays in this scheme and also to the non-payment of the subsidies to which farmers are entitled under the beef suckler cow scheme; and when the situation will be improved.
To date 19,184 applicants in the disadvantaged areas have been paid £16 million in 1989 ewe premium advances whereas 18,075 applicants had been paid £12.2 million in respect of 1988 ewe premium advances at the same date in 1989.
There is some delay, however, in the processing of payments under the 1989 suckler cow premium scheme and I am at present considering what action can be taken to speed up those payments.