Breeda Moynihan-Cronin
Ceist:84 Mrs. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when cattle headage will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The persons named were paid an advance of their 1993 cattle headage grant on 9 January 1994. Their application is being processed further at present and any balance due will be paid in the near future.
A 60 per cent advance of the 1993 suckler cow premium as provided in the EU Regulations will be paid shortly.
P. J. Sheehan
Ceist:85 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive payment of his 22 month beef premium in view of the fact that this person applied in June 1993.
The person named applied for 22 month special beef premium on 11 animals on 22 June 1993. In his application he showed these 11 animals as having been born between February 1992 and May 1992. As it was a requirement of the 22 month special beef premium scheme that animals be not less than 21 months old at time of application and as these animals were clearly not that old, 22 month premium could not be paid on them.
In case the person named inadvertently applied for 22 month premium on these animals instead of the ten month premium, my Department is now processing the application further and any advance payment due will be made in the near future. It is possible, however, that all of the animals may have received premium already, in which case no payment will fall to be made.
P. J. Sheehan
Ceist:86 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive payment of his 1992 and 1993 suckler cow grants.
The person named is not the registered owner of the herd number quoted. The registered herdowner has been deemed ineligible for grants under the 1992 suckler cow premium scheme as he did not maintain the number of cows on which he applied for premium for six months as required under the terms and conditions of the scheme.
Ongoing investigations relating to whether or not a false declaration was made in 1992—which would have ruled the registered herdowner out of the 1993 suckler cow premium scheme — have now cleared the 1993 application for payment processing. Any advance payment due for 1993 will be made in the near future.
Enda Kenny
Ceist:87 Mr. E. Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is entitled to extra quota under the sheep headage quota regulations.
The person named applied for ewe premium reserve quota but did not specify any particular category. His application has been examined under all categories but I regret to say that he does not qualify for reserve quota under any of them.
He has already been allocated a quota of 16 premium rights based on his 1991 application.
John Ellis
Ceist:88 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will now pay headage and suckler grants due to a person (details supplied) in County Cavan.
The application of the person named for grants under the 1993 cattle headage scheme is being processed at present and any payment due will be made in the near future.
He was paid an advance of his 1993 suckler cow premium on 1 December 1993 but payment of the balance cannot be made to a particular applicant until all applications received from him/her in the course of 1993 have been processed. This is necessary to ensure compliance with the EU regulations covering in particular the ceiling on eligible animals and stocking density.
The processing of November 1993 applications means that in most cases payment of the final 40 per cent of premium will not start before late March.
Ned O'Keeffe
Ceist:89 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the up-to-date position of an application for grant aid for a person (details supplied) in County Cork; the maximum grant available; and the criteria that have to be met under this scheme.
A scheme of grant aid, funded by the EU co-responsibility levy, is currently in operation which is aimed at helping farmers to meet the standards required by EU Council Directive 92/46/EEC. Under the scheme, grants up to £1,750 are available towards the cost of milk refrigeration equipment and up to £500 for maintenance of milking machines, subject in both cases to a maximum of 50 per cent of actual cost. This scheme is operated under contract to my Department by ICOS, through its members, to whom any specific inquiries should be made.
It is also my intention to provide assistance to farmers, in the next round of EU structural funds, to make the changes in on-farm structures necessary to comply with the requirements of the Directive. However, it will not be possible to finalise the details of this scheme pending conclusion of discussions with the EU Commission on the National Development Plan 1994-1999.
P. J. Sheehan
Ceist:90 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive payment of his 22-month beef premium which he applied for in 1992.
The person named has already been paid under the December 1992 special beef premium scheme. He did not apply for grants under the special beef premium scheme in the January/February 1993 or June 1993 application periods.