Vol. 453 No. 6
132 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason an application for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo for a forestry grant has been refused in view of the fact that the soil in question was not tested and adjoining land is being planted. [9789/95]
The land in question was inspected on 21 March 1995. My Department's technical advisers considered that this land, which is poor quality blanket bog, would not produce a commercially viable crop of wood, which is a condition of the afforestation grant scheme.
134 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary suffered so many disadvantages as a result of his herd failing the TB test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9835/95]
While I am informed that the appropriate reactor grants have been paid and the income supplement is also being paid at the appropriate rate I am having a further examination carried out in the case and will contact the Deputy shortly.
136 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the number of farmers in County Donegal who have not received their 1994 headage payments; and when payment will issue. [9917/95]
Of the 29,467 headage and premia applications received in Donegal some 90 per cent (26,483) have been paid.
The remaining 10 per cent have not been paid yet because of delays by applicants in furnishing information requested by my Department or because of failure on the part of applicants to comply with EU requirements governing these schemes. For example, many applicants have failed to supply legal documents proving changes of ownership of holdings and this failure on their part prevents payment under all headage and premia schemes; almost 200 cattle headage applicants either submitted no 1994 area aid applications or had less land than the minimum 7.5 statute acres required by the relevant EU regulation and as a result cannot be paid cattle headage grants and over 100 applicants for suckler cow premium have no suckler quota.
