Vol. 496 No. 3
161 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if payment of approximately £240 will be issued to a person (details supplied) in County Sligo under the suckler cow premium scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22350/98]
An application was lodged by the person named under the suckler cow premium scheme on 5 May 1998 in respect of nine cows. Due to an error in processing a replaced animal was not paid on and a penalty was imposed on the other cows on the claim. An advance payment of £797.77 issued to the person named on 21 October 1998. The error has now been rectified and the shortfall due will be paid to him within the next two weeks.
163 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if area aid problems will be resolved for a person (details supplied) in County Sligo; if a 1998 cattle headage payment will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22366/98]
Difficulties have arisen in processing the area aid application of the person named and are being raised with the herd-owner. When these have been resolved, any payments due will issue as soon as possible.
164 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a REP scheme payment. [22369/98]
The person's REPS application includes commonage land and the revised REP scheme requires that a framework plan be drawn up for each commonage. The preparation of the framework plan will be carried out under the supervision of my Department and the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gealteacht and the Islands. It will take some time before framework plans will be available for all commonages.
Details of an interim national framework plan have been drawn up to enable farmers with commonage to participate in REPS pending the implementation of commonage framework plans.
Under these new arrangements this application can now be processed with a view to making an early payment.
The new payment rates in REPS are as follows: £80 per acre for the first 100 acres; £8 per acre between 101 and 200 acres; £6 per acre between 201 and 300 acres.
For the average existing REPS 80 acre farmer in an NHA, this will mean an increase in the annual payment from £4,960 to £6,400. The maximum NHA payment increases from £6,200 per annum to £9,400.
165 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1998 cattle and sheep headage grants. [22370/98]
The area aid application from the person concerned has been processed and any payment due will issue as soon as possible.
166 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a 1998 cattle headage grant. [22371/98]
The area aid application from the person concerned has been processed and any payment due will issue as soon as possible.
167 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1998 cattle headage grant, special beef premium, suckler cow premium and a second instalment of ewe premium. [22373/98]
The person named will be paid his entitlement under the 1998 cattle headage scheme within the next seven days. The person named was paid 80 per cent advances under the 1998 special beef premium scheme; £144.27 was paid on 9 November 1998 under his first ten months application and £144.27 was paid on 9 November under his second ten months application.
Payment amounting to £1,009.65 under the 1998 suckler cow premium scheme has now issued to the person named. The second instalment of £186.45 under the 1998 ewe premium scheme was paid to the person named on 22 October 1998.
168 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive compensation for the tuberculosis reactor in his herd; and the total forage area and stock density calculations on his 1998 area aid application. [22374/98]
Essential documentation was received in the local district veterinary office on 30 October 1998 from the person named. TB reactor grants in respect of a number of reactor animals are being processed and payment will issue in due course.
The forage area for the person in question is determined at 24.47ha. The final date for accepting applications under the special beef premium scheme has still not passed. It is, therefore, not yet possible to determine the stocking density for any individual herdowner.
