Vol. 491 No. 2
105 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a ten month and 22 month beef premium payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11575/98]
Arrangements have been put in place in the area aid unit for the examination of all outstanding cases within the next few weeks. In this process, priority is being given to applicants for whom payments are outstanding.
106 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when suckler cow premium payments will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11576/98]
Article 4(g) of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2066/92 states that the total number of animals qualifying for special beef premium and the suckler cow premium is limited by the application of a stocking density on the holding.
The stocking density limit for 1997 was two livestock units per hectare and as the person named declared a forage area of 12.56 hectares on his 1997 area aid application form he can only qualify for premium on 25.12 livestock units. He applied for premium on 353 animals under the 1997 ewe premium scheme and had 352 quota rights. Since each ewe constitutes 0.15 livestock units and by regulation all ewes applied on up to the quota limit must be counted for stocking density, the person named exceeded the stocking density restriction for 1997 under his ewe premium application alone.
He subsequently applied for grants on 15 animals under the 1997 suckler cow premium scheme and as the stocking density restriction had already been exceeded the person named is not entitled to any premium under the 1997 suckler cow premium scheme.
