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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 3 Dec 1997

Vol. 484 No. 1

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

88 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the total number and the total amount paid to farmers in direct payments to date in 1997 under individual schemes, including accompanying measures; if he will give the position for the same period in 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21648/97]

The information requested is shown in the following tables.

In the period since 1 January 1997 some £842 million has been paid to farmers under various schemes. This includes £698 million paid to farmers under the various EU livestock and arable aid schemes of which over £446 million relates to payments made under the 1997 schemes. To date this year some 1.322 million payments have been made of which 799,515 relate to payments under the 1997 schemes. Also to date in 1997 £144.538 million has been paid out by my Department under the REPS and the early retirement scheme.

Payments under the 1997 disadvantaged areas headage schemes commenced on 28 September 1997 and to date over £97.5 million has been paid. Eighty per cent of cattle headage-beef cow applicants and 83 per cent of sheep headage applicants have now been paid. Payments under the 1997 arable aid scheme commenced on 16 October, the earliest possible commencement date under EU regulations and some £85 million was paid to 94 per cent of applicants within one week of commencement of payments. The current position is that over £89.5 million has been paid to 99 per cent of applicants.

Payments under the 1997 special beef premium and suckler cow premium commenced on 1 November and 3 November respectively. The EU regulations provide that payment cannot commence until 1 November and that only 60 per cent of entitlement can be paid. To date over £116 million has been paid under these schemes. Eighty-three per cent of special beef premium applicants and 78 per cent of suckler cow applicants have now been paid. It should be noted that by way of derogation, the European Commission allowed member states to pay an 80 per cent advance under the special beef and the suckler cow premia schemes in 1996.
It should also be noted that this year priority was accorded to making payments under the 1997 arable aid scheme in view of the very severe harvest conditions which affected some parts of the country. It is also the case that almost 6 per cent of 1997 cattle headage-beef cow and suckler cow applications cannot be processed for payment at local office level because they are under query with the farmers concerned.
Payments are continuing to issue to farmers under all premium and headage schemes.
While the requirements of the land parcel identification system which is fully operational in 1997 under EU rules have been a complicating factor in processing the various premium and headage applications this year, it is expected that most remaining eligible applicants will be paid in the very near future.
Headage and Premia Schemes — Amount Paid to Date in 1997.

Scheme

No. of payments

Amount paid to 4 Dec. 1997 under 1997 and previous years' schemes

Cattle Headage

83,766

92.802

Ewe Premium

135,458

73.553

Sheep Headage

27,814

19.280

Goat Headage

133

0.009

Special Beef Premium incl. Bull Premium

374,723

149.692

Suckler Cow Premium

140,713

110.868

Slaughter Premium

41,676

23.687

Equine Headage

1,693

0.298

Extensification

93,187

66.878

Arable Aid

17,660

94.989

BSE Package, all Schemes

405,596

65.949

REPS

30,294

93.111

ERS

6,918

51.427

Total

1,359,631

842.543

Headage and Premia Schemes — Amount Paid at 4 Dec. 1996.

Scheme

No. of payments

Amount paid in 1996 under 1996 and previous years' schemes

Cattle Headage/Beef Cow

83,049

83.777

Ewe Premium

139,874

113.331

Sheep Headage

24,610

20.749

Goat Headage

745

0.044

Special Beef Premium

295,504

154.419

Suckler Cow Premium

142,553

148.535

Slaughter Premium

22,574

16.719

Equine Headage

3,596

0.603

Extensification

97,390

60.436

Arable Aid

16,265

75.318

BSE Package, all Schemes

192,424

69.126

REPS

22,952

55.855

ERS

5,393

44.040

Total

1,046,929

842.952

Liam Aylward

Ceist:

89 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food further to Parliamentary Question No. 143 of 25 November 1997 if he will arrange to give a more detailed answer with particular reference to the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will outline the exact position in relation to payment of his 1997 suckler cow premium. [21667/97]

The following payment has now issued to the person named: £3,702.07 in respect of 1997 suckler cow application.

Ivan Yates

Ceist:

90 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when special beef premium will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if this matter will expedited. [21669/97]

The person named applied for 1997 ten months special beef premium on 19 animals in all, 16 on 6 February and three on 15 May 1997. On his 1997 area aid application he declared 38.46 hectares of forage area and opted for the official milk recording scheme figure to be used in calculating (a) the number of dairy cows needed to cover his milk quota and (b) his overall stocking density.

Pending receipt of the official milk recording figure, the 897 gallon national average milk production figure per cow had to be used to calculate (a) the number of dairy cows needed to deliver his milk quota and (b) his stocking density. As a result, he exceeded the stocking density of two livestock units per hectare set out in the relevant EU regulations and his special beef premium advance payments were cut back accordingly.

However, the milk recording scheme figure has been supplied by him recently and will now be used, therefore, to recalculate the number of special beef premium grants to be paid to him — that figure indicates that there will be no cutback for this reason in the number of animals to be paid.

Arrangements are now being made to have the balance of his entitlement paid.

Andrew Boylan

Ceist:

91 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if all current REP scheme and control of farmyard pollution grants have been paid to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21670/97]

There is no record of an application under the control of farmyard pollution scheme from this person. However, he is an applicant under the REP scheme, and he will be due his fourth year payment next April.

Michael Creed

Ceist:

92 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be paid his 1996 slaughter premium. [21671/97]

The person named applied for 26 animals in all for 1996 slaughter permium, 25 animals on 28 May 1996 and one animal on 4 June 1996.

Both applications were paid in full, £1,457.18 on 13 September 1996 in respect of 25 animals and £60.90 on 28 September 1996 in respect of the one animal.

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