Ivan Yates
Ceist:101 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a farm improvement grant will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if he will expedite payment of same.
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
Payment of the grant will be processed when the farm inspection visit fee, which was requested from the applicant, is received.
Austin Deasy
Ceist:102 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason for the delay in payment of (a) beef premium, (b) headage payments and (c) suckler cow and calf subsidy to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; the date on which applications were received; the date of inspection; and when payment of same will issue.
The file in this case is with field staff at present for investigation and it is not possible to supply the information requested in the absence of the file. I will, however, arrange to have the application dealt with urgently.
Austin Deasy
Ceist:103 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason for the delay in payment of a beef premium and suckler cow and calf subsidy to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; the date on which applications were received; the date of inspection; and when payment of same will issue.
The local livestock office has requested the person named to forward legal documents proving ownership of lands and stock.
When the required information is supplied the question of payment of 1989 special beef premium, suckler cow premium and calf premium schemes grants will be considered further. Applications under these schemes were received in the local office of my Department on 18 July 1989 and inspection took place on 9 August 1989.
Austin Deasy
Ceist:104 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason for the delay in payment of a beef premium and suckler cow and calf subsidy to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; the date on which applications were received; the date of inspection; and when payment of same will issue.
Payments to this applicant under the 1989 calf premium, special beef premium and suckler cow premium schemes have already been made. His applications were received on 27 July 1989 and his herd was inspected on 1 November 1989.
The reason for the delay in issue of this and other payments was the late issue of applications following a High Court case last year and a policy of non-cooperation by some unions at the end of the year. Payments are now back to normal, however.
Donal Carey
Ceist:105 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he has satisfied himself that there are sufficient staff to process headage payments and other applications in the 26 district offices; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a substantial number of claimants are still awaiting payment for the 1989-1990 schemes; and if he will appoint staff to help clear the backlog.
I am satisfied that there are sufficient staff to process headage payments and other applications in all the local offices of my Department.
There were some special circumstances in 1989 i.e. a High Court case which delayed the issue of applications and completion of inspections and industrial action which delayed processing of grant payments in local offices which led to delays in payments for that year's schemes. To avoid hardship to farmers, I arranged payment of 70 per cent of disadvantaged areas cattle schemes grants at the end of 1989 and for overtime working in the local offices since then to clear the backlog of payments. As I am satisfied that this has been done and that the only cases not yet processed for payment are cases that cannot be processed in any event until the applicants concerned reply to certain queries, there is no need to appoint extra staff to clear that backlog.
Total payments for 1989 schemes come to £207 million, of which £195 million has been paid, £5 million is expected to be paid by the end of this week and £3 million is expected to be paid in the first half of May, leaving £4 million outstanding on foot of query cases — which cannot be paid until applicants reply to queries raised.