Vol. 496 No. 7
130 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Meath has not been paid his area aid grant even though the application was submitted to his Department through his Teagasc adviser in April 1998; and if this person will be paid in the immediate future. [24104/98]
Difficulties have arisen in processing the area aid application and the person concerned has been contacted. When these are resolved any payments due will issue as soon as possible.
131 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of outstanding area aid applications to be processed by his Department; when the remaining cases will be dealt with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24105/98]
Some 132,000 area aid applications were received in 1998. Of these 90 per cent have been processed for payment. This represents 89 per cent of all forage applications and over 94 per cent of arable applications. The area aid unit is continuing the process of contacting all outstanding cases by phone and letter so as to expedite the payments due in these cases.
