Austin Deasy
Ceist:89 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason for the delay in paying a headage grant to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and when same will be completed.
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
Payment under the 1990 cattle and equines headage schemes to the person named is being processed and will issue shortly. When he forwards the cattle identity card requested under the 1990 beef premium scheme, the question of payment to him under that scheme will be considered further. Payment has already been made to him under the 1990 sheep headage scheme.
Frank Crowley
Ceist:90 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be paid a sheep subsidy and a calf subsidy for 1989; and whether he was entitled to a calf premium payment in 1984 as he did not receive any.
The person named has already been paid the amounts due to him under the 1989 sheep headage and ewe premium schemes. He was entitled to grants in respect of 90 calves under the 1984 calf premium scheme and the appropriate payment was made on 31 January 1985. Due to a clerical error he has been underpaid £168 in respect of his 1989 cattle and equines headage scheme application and payment of that amount will issue shortly.
Austin Deasy
Ceist:91 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will list the percentage of land classified as disadvantaged for cattle headage payments in each of the EC states.
Austin Deasy
Ceist:96 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will consider making a new proposal to the EC Commission advocating that all the country's land be declared disadvantaged, in view of the deteriorating farm income situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 96 together.
The percentage of total utilised agricultural area that has been classified as disadvantaged to date in each EC member state is as follows: Belgium, 21.9 per cent; Denmark, Nil; France, 45.1 per cent; Germany, 53.5 per cent; Greece, 78.3 per cent; Ireland, 58 per cent—(proposed extension to 72 per cent of land area); Italy, 51.9 per cent; Luxembourg, 100 per cent; Netherlands, 2.4 per cent; Portugal, 75.6 per cent; Spain, 63 per cent; United Kingdom, 52.5 per cent.
Under the present EC rules all of Ireland cannot be classified as disadvantaged so I do not propose to make a new proposal to the EC Commission for such a blanket 100 per cent designation, as suggested by the Deputy, at this time.
Liam Aylward
Ceist:92 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will arrange immediate payment of a sheep subsidy to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
A 1990 sheep headage grant was paid to the person named on 7 December 1990. This payment was made without prejudice to an inspection of 13 acres he recently purchased. His eligibility for sheep headage will depend on the result of that inspection which is scheduled for January next.
Andrew Boylan
Ceist:93 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a reactor grant payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Cavan.
The reactor grant due to the person named will be paid in early January.
Charles Flanagan
Ceist:94 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a cow grant will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Laois.
This applicant is not eligible for grants under the beef cow and equines headage scheme as his lands are not situated in a less severely handicapped area. Nor is he eligible for grants under the suckler cow scheme as he is engaged in commercial milk production. Payment due to him under the special beef premium scheme is being processed and will issue shortly.