Vol. 488 No. 6
141 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his Department will approve the 1994 area aid application and extensification premia for a person (details supplied) in County Cavan in view of the fact that the application meets all the criteria of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6840/98]
An area aid application was received from the person concerned in 1994 with a declared forage area of 17.71 hectares. Applications were received in respect of five suckler cows and ten special beef male cattle in 1994, i.e. in respect of 11 livestock units. The milk quota held on 1 April 1994 of 12,241 gallons was the equivalent of a further 14.50 livestock units. Accordingly, the stocking density of the person concerned in 1994 was 1.43 livestock units per hectare.
The 1994 extensification premium payment was payable to herdowners whose stocking density rate was less than 1.4 livestock units per hectare and, consequently, such premium was not payable to the person named for that year. Although payment in respect of that premium issued in error on 12 April 1995, the overpayment concerned was recouped by my Department from a special beef premium payment on 12 March 1996.
142 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork received payment in respect of 19 suckler cows when he applied for 20. [6841/98]
The person named notified my Department in July 1997 that one of the cows on which he had applied for 1997 suckler cow premium had died earlier in the month. This was accepted as natural circumstances as provided for in the regulations. The animal was not paid on but did not cause a penalty to be applied to the other 19 animals on the application. The person named did not indicate to my Department that he was replacing the animal which had died.
143 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be paid his 1997 ten month and 22 month beef premium grants. [6842/98]
The person named submitted one ten month special beef premium application and one 22 month special beef premium application in December 1997. The person named did not submit an area aid application in 1997. As such, his entitlements in 1997 were restricted to 15 livestock units. The person named holds a milk quota of 30,311 gallons, equivalent to 33.79 livestock units. As this exceeds the 15 livestock unit limit he has no entitlement to special beef premium for 1997.
144 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a farm development service grant will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [6843/98]
The grant is this case will be paid within the next three to four weeks.
145 Mr. D. Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a 1997 sheep and cattle headage payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [6845/98]
A payment of £264 issued to the person named on 5 March 1998 in respect of sheep headage. Two plots of land on the application from the person concerned require to be digitised. As soon as this has been completed, payments in respect of cattle headage can issue to the person concerned. It is hoped that this can be done before the end of March 1998.
146 Mr. D. Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a 1997 sheep and cattle headage payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [6846/98]
A payment of £180 issued to the person named on 11 March 1998 in respect of sheep headage. My Department has issued a townland map to the person concerned to ascertain her definitive position as regards land farmed in 1997. The case will be finalised and any outstanding payments due will issue on receipt of a reply to that query.
147 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive the remainder of his suckler cow scheme payment for 1997. [6849/98]
An advance payment of £252.41 issued to the person concerned on 17 November 1997 in respect of suckler cow premium payment. Before the balance of the premium payment could issue all of the forage area declared by the person concerned had to be validated by the land parcel identification system. Validation has now been completed and the outstanding payments will issue within the next two weeks.
148 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive the 40 per cent balance payment for his 1997 suckler cow scheme application. [6850/98]
An advance payment of £1,009.65 issued to the person concerned on 2 December 1997 in respect of suckler cow premium payment. Before the balance of the premium payment could issue all of the forage area declared by the person concerned had to be validated by the land parcel identification system. Validation has now been completed and the outstanding payments will issue within the next two weeks.
149 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a decision will be made on the appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry against a decision penalising him for five units of beef premium which he applied for in December 1996. [6889/98]
Payments of special beef premium to the person named were limited in accordance with the stocking density provisions of the governing regulations. The person named declared a forage area of 18.62 hectares and, when account is taken of his milk quota of 22,596 gallons, his premia payments entitlement is the equivalent of 12.049 livestock units. As the person named lodged suckler cow applications equivalent to 6.81 livestock units, his entitlement to special beef premium is, accordingly, restricted to 5.239 livestock units.
