Paul Bradford
Ceist:96 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if a person (details supplied) in County Cork is eligible to receive payment of compensation money in respect of her 1996 beef premium application. [13504/97]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The regulations governing payment of the 1996 BSE compensation package (which was paid out last October) provided for payment of top-ups in respect of animals which qualified for payment under the 1995 EU suckler cow premium scheme and 1995 EU special beef premium scheme. The regulations also provided for adjustments, upwards and downwards, later on to take account of the number of animals qualifying for payment under the 1996 EU suckler cow premium scheme and the 1996 EU special beef premium scheme. In effect the regulations required that when all balancing payments under the 1996 EU suckler cow premium schemes and 1996 EU special beef premium schemes were made a comparison was to be carried out between the number of animals qualifying for payment under the 1995 schemes and the number qualifying under the 1996 schemes. Money was to be recouped from those farmers who had received a BSE top-up payment in respect of animals qualifying under the 1995 schemes but had fewer animals qualifying under the 1996 schemes. The person named was paid 14 special beef premium top-up grants on 4 October 1996 under the 1996 BSE top-up scheme amounting to £267.12 (£19.08 × 14) based on her 1995 special beef premium entitlements. As she was only paid on ten animals under the 1996 special beef premium scheme, the overpayment of £76.32 (four top-up grants) was recouped from her 1997 BSE/agrimonetary payment of £100. The £23.68 balance of 1997 top-up payment due was paid on 26 May 1997.