Vol. 428 No. 5
164 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a special beef premium grant will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will give details of the delay, if any, which occurred in issuing payment.
The June 1992 application of the person named for grants under the special beef premium scheme was rejected by computer at validation stage. The error is being dealt with at present and when it is resolved the application will be processed further and if found in order payment will then be made.
The December 1992 application of the person named under the special beef premium scheme will be processed in due course.
165 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a beef premium grant will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; if he will give details of the delay, if any, which occurred in issuing payment.
The application of the person named for grants under the 1992 special beef premium scheme was rejected by computer at validation stage. The error is being dealt with at present and when it is resolved the application will be processed further and if found in order payment will then be made.
166 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork was refused a farm improvement programme grant even though conditions of the scheme have been complied with; and if he will reconsider this decision.
The applicant referred to by the Deputy is a participant in the farm improvement programme and to date has been paid four grants in relation to works carried out under the five year plan which he commenced in May 1989. A further grant payment will issue shortly.
I presume the Deputy is referring to the special additional aid which is payable to suitably qualified young farmers under the farm improvement programme. The applicant in this case is ineligible for this additional aid as he did not have the necessary educational qualifications at the date of commencement of his farm plan.
167 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if his attention has been drawn to the expense faced by farmers who were first time applicants for the suckler cow premium in 1992 in changing over their herds to cows of a beef breed only; whether he will extend to those farmers the same concession as applies to other farmers so that they will be allowed to include dairy type cows in calf to a bull of a beef breed for the 1993 and 1994 suckler cow scheme.
While I am aware of difficulties faced by farmers who were first time applicants for the suckler cow premium in 1992, the extension of the concession in question is not permitted under the relevant EC regulations.
168 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason headage and beef cow grants have not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person named submitted an application under the 1992 cattle and equines headage scheme on 2 September 1992. As the closing date for receipt of applications under the scheme was 7 July 1992 the application from the person named cannot be accepted. He did not apply for grants under the 1992 special beef premium scheme.
