Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 13 May 1997

Vol. 479 No. 2

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Joe Walsh

Ceist:

308 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, he has to pay a top-up ewe premium where the average price to Irish producers is a specified percentage below the average EU price; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12478/97]

Cecilia Keaveney

Ceist:

376 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, there are to have a top-up premium paid to sheep producers in member states where the average price is a specified percentage below the average EU price; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12921/97]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 308 and 376 together.

I put forward a proposal to the EU Commission last year for a top-up premium in member states where the average price was below a certain percentage of the EU average. This proposal was not accepted by the Commission because of the budgetary implications and the fear that such a mechanism might effect a downward pressure on market prices in the knowledge that producers' incomes would be boosted by the top-up premium.

I should point out that both Irish and EU market prices for lamb have been at record levels so far this year, and the overall average price in Ireland to the end of April is only 7 per cent below the EU average price. However, I will pursue this proposal in the appropriate circumstances.

Joe Walsh

Ceist:

309 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, he has to extend the extensification premium to sheep producers. [12479/97]

Cecilia Keaveney

Ceist:

378 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, he has to extend the extensification premium worth £4.51 per ewe to sheep producers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12923/97]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 309 and 378 together.

In the context of a review of the EU sheepmeat quota regime in 1996, I proposed to the EU Commission that the opportunity should be availed of to examine the wider aspects of the sheepmeat regime. As part of my submission I raised the question of the payment of an extensification premium on sheep. However, the Commission consider that sheep production is an extensive farming system and that such a premium would be extremely costly. Under the REPS programme there are very generous levels of aid available to producers who may have to reduce their flocks size for environmental reasons.

I am continuing to pursue this issue. However, it should be recognised that the matter is being considered against a background of record prices prevailing for most of the year and concern about the cost of the regime.

Joe Walsh

Ceist:

310 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, he has to increase the sheep rural world premium from its current level to £10 per ewe. [12480/97]

Cecilia Keaveney

Ceist:

377 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, he has for the increase in the rural world premium from the current £5.51 per ewe to £10 per ewe and its extension to flock owners in non-disadvantaged areas,; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12922/97]

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

I propose to take Question Nos. 310 and 377 together.

Under the terms of Council Regulation 1323/90 sheep farmers are eligible for payment of the rural world premium if at least 50 per cent of the holding is located in a disadvantaged area and if that area is used for sheep production. Any increase in the premium or extension of its application would therefore require a proposal from the EU Commission and the approval of the Council of Ministers. This is unlikely in a year when market prices for lamb have been at record levels.

Joe Walsh

Ceist:

311 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, he has to increase the 16kg technical weight coefficient used to calculate ewe premium to 18kg. [12481/97]

Cecilia Keaveney

Ceist:

379 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, he has to increase the 16kg technical weight coefficient used to calculate ewe premium to 18kg worth £1.75 per ewe in premium payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12924/97]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 311 and 379 together.

A proposal to adjust the 16kg, technical coefficient used for the calculation of the ewe premium has been put to the EU Commission on an informal basis. The Commission pointed out that such an adjustment, even if agreed by member states, would force a differentiation of the premium between northern member states and those in the south where light lamb production predominates. Such a change could lead to a lowering of the premium paid for heavy lambs, reflecting the better market returns for that lamb, in order to avoid an increase in budgetary expenditure for the sheepmeat regime.

Joe Walsh

Ceist:

312 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, he has to pay the £10 per ewe headage on all sheep up to maximum of 200. [12482/97]

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

Under the sheep headage scheme grants are payable on hogget ewes of all breeds on all grazings in the disadvantaged areas and on mountain breeding ewes in those areas provided they are of the Blackface Mountain or Cheviot breeds or first crosses between or on those breeds and are substantially maintained on mountain grazings. The rate of payment is £10 per eligible ewe up to a max of 200. I have no plans to amend the existing Scheme.

Joe Walsh

Ceist:

313 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, he has to bring forward the ewe premium application to November; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12483/97]

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

The closing date for the submission of applications under the ewe premium scheme has to take account of the requirement that qualifying animals must be at least 12 months old at the end of the retention period. In view of this I believe that the application period adopted in 1996 and 1997, with a closing date early in January, is the earliest date which will allow the maximum number of ewes to qualify for a premium. The experience of 1997 and 1996 would indicate that the current arrangement provides the best option for Irish sheep producers.

Noel Treacy

Ceist:

314 Mr. N. Treacy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason grants have not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; when payment will be made; the amount to be paid for each year to this person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12485/97]

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

The person named was the subject of two attachment orders from the office of the Revenue Commissioners, the first dated 8 December 1994 for an amount of £2,000 and the second dated 15 May 1996 for an amount of £2,500.

The following table sets out the payments position since 1994:

Scheme	Amount (£) Paid to Revenue Commissioners	Date of Payment	Amount (£) Paid to Herd Owner	Date of Payment
Reactor Grants on 3 cows slaughtered	1,020.00	2/12/94
Income supplement on 3 cows	180.00	2/12/94
Cattle Headage 1994	127.20	25/6/96	720.80	17/11/94
Cattle Headage 1995	800.00	12/3/96	246.00	12/3/96
Cattle Headage 1996	702.80	19/12/96
Special Beef Premium 1994			43.0628.71	10/11/9422/2/95
Special Beef Premium 1995			210.9152.73351.5287.88	16/10/9522/1/9616/10/9526/1/96
Special Beef Premium 1996	270.51	12/5/97
Extensification Premium 1994	29.29	25/6/96
Extensification Premium 1995	234.32	25/6/96
Slaughter Premium 1996	120.18	18/12/96
BSE Top-Up SBP 1996			152.64	3/10/96
Total	3,484.30		1,894.25

The first attachment order has now been discharged and an amount of £1,015.70 represents the balance remaining on the second attachment order. As soon as the second attachment order is discharged, any outstanding grants due will be paid to the person named.

The amount due under 1996 extensification premium will be paid within the next two weeks.

Mary O'Rourke

Ceist:

316 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath who seeks reinstatement for eligibility in respect of EU headage payments in view of the particular circumstances of the case. [12537/97]

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

The individual to whom the Deputy refers submitted an area aid application in 1996 in which he declared 30.26 hectares of forage area. On inspection of his holding it transpired that only 16.96 hectares were available as forage area. The remaining 13.30 hectares were planted with forestry. According to EU regulations governing the scheme, if the declared area is found on inspection to be greater than the found area by more than 20 per cent then the area declared is reduced to zero leading to no payment of area linked aid under the relevant livestock schemes.

My Department has carefully examined this case, but given that the overclaim amounted to just over 78 per cent it has no option but to wit-hold livestock scheme payments for the year in question as laid down by the regulations.