Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 23 May 1996

Vol. 465 No. 8

Written Answers. - Farm Income Statistics.

Kathleen Lynch

Ceist:

23 Kathleen Lynch asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the proportion of farm income deriving from direct EU payments in each of the years 1985 and 1995; the total amount of direct payments which Irish farmers will receive in 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10592/96]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

Direct income payments amounted to £181.3 million in 1985 which was 14.9 per cent of farm income in that year. In 1995 direct income payments reached £747 million, or 35.5 per cent of farm income.

With regard to payments in 1996, a number of issues which determine the level of payments have yet to be settled. These include the rates of payment of ewe premia, rate of set-aside and the amount of any BSE-related compensation payments, which remain to be agreed either at Commission level or at meetings of the Council of Ministers for Agriculture.

The number of applications and the numbers of qualifying animals under the various headage and premia schemes will not be known until later this year.

In the circumstances I am unable, with any degree of accuracy, to provide a figure relating to the total amount of direct payments this year.