Vol. 477 No. 1
25 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the 1996 premium and headage payments still outstanding on 15 March 1997; when he proposes to pay the outstanding sums to farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8399/97]
The position is that to date over £657 million has been paid to farmers under the various 1996 headage and premia schemes. These are recorded payment levels under these schemes at this time of year. Over £132 million has been paid out since 1 January 1997. The estimated total amount remaining to be paid under these schemes at present is £116.5 million. It should be noted, however, that almost £70 million of this amount, representing payments under suckler cow applications submitted in October 1996 and 1996 extensification premium, is not yet due for payment. Under EU requirements, payment of October 1996 suckler cow applications cannot commence until the end of the retention period in April next. Similarly, payment of extensification premium for 1996 cannot commence until all 1996 special beef premium and suckler cow premium payments have been processed. It is expected that, in line with the commitment in the charter of rights for farmers, payment of suckler cow premium to October, 1996 applicants will be made in April and May, 1997 and that payment of 1996 extensification grants will be made in the period April to June 1997.
Balancing payment under May 1996 suckler cow applications and special beef premium applications submitted in the period January-November 1996 are continuing at present with a view to having most cases paid by end March and the remainder paid by 30 June in line with EU requirements and commitments in the charter of rights for farmers.
26 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the current position in relation to the Kearney report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8294/97]
49 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the current position in relation to the proposal to reduce the ceiling of headage premia; and his views on the implications, if any, of this reduction for the thousands of farmers who are slightly over the proposed amounts. [8295/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 49 together.
Since my detailed reply of 29 January to the Deputy on the current position as regards the Kearney report (including the imposition of the £3,000 ceiling limit), formal negotiations with the Commission's services have commenced on the proposals which I put to the European Commission in October 1996 but I am not yet in a position to indicate when this process will be completed.
As regards the implications involved for those farmers affected by the proposed £3,000 ceiling, the position is that around 4,000 farmers get average payments of approximately £3,600 annually and they would cease, therefore, to get any amount above the £3,000 level from 1 January 1998. When premia schemes are included, such better-off farmers are on average in receipt of overall payments of approximately £15,700 per annum. Restriction of headage to a ceiling of £3,000 would therefore involve an average reduction of approximately 4 per cent. As indicated in a previous reply to the Deputy, one of the provisions in Partnership 2000 is that implementation of the £3,000 ceiling measure should proceed unless agreement is reached on an equitable alternative within the current level of the programme's resources.
