John Ellis
Ceist:107 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a REP scheme payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim; and the reason for the delay in this regard. [2979/99]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
This application was subject to a detailed plan examination and on-farm inspection. The agri-environmental plan was found to contain a number of deficiencies which needed to be rectified. A revised plan was received but it also was found to contain a number of deficiencies. My Department wrote to the person named on 1 February 1999 to inform him of this. His REPS plan ner has also been written to outlining the deficiencies involved. Payment cannot be processed until a satisfactory plan is submitted.
Michael Ring
Ceist:108 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the area aid unit will clear an application for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo in order that the remainder of 1998 cattle headage will issue. [2980/99]
There was an overclaim associated with this case which it was possible for my Department to resolve. The area aid application of the person named has been processed. The balance of her entitlement under the 1998 cattle headage scheme will issue within the next two weeks.
Michael Ring
Ceist:109 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1998 headage and premia in view of the fact she has submitted her title deeds and maps to the area aid unit to resolve its uncertainty on her commonage holding. [2981/99]
Queries arose in relation to a parcel of land that was also being claimed by another herd-owner and also in relation to the commonage share of the person named. The area aid application has now been processed and payment in respect of 1998 headage and premium applications have issued to the person named.
John Perry
Ceist:110 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in County Sligo submitted maps on three different occasions to the area aid unit; if outstanding area aid difficulties will be resolved; if 1997 and 1998 cattle, sheep headage, suckler cow and area aid extensification payments will be released; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2983/99]
A query arose in relation to a plot of land that was overlapping with another herdowners holding in the 1998 area aid application for the person named. Maps issued to the herdowners concerned and the query was resolved. The area aid application of the person named is now being finalised. Any outstanding payments due in respect of 1998 headage and premium applications will issue as soon as possible. The 1997 area aid application has also been resolved and any outstanding payments due will issue as soon as possible.
John Perry
Ceist:111 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a REP scheme payment will be released for a person (details supplied) in County Sligo in view of the length of time his application has been lodged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2984/99]
The person concerned lodged an application under the REP scheme on 3 April 1998. Following investigation, it was discovered that there was a discrepancy between the area of land declared by him in his REP scheme application and that declared by him in his area aid application. The applicant has been asked to provide an explanation for the discrepancy. No payment can issue until a satisfactory explanation has been received.
John Perry
Ceist:112 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a REP scheme payment will be released for a person (details supplied) in County Sligo in view of the length of time his application has been lodged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2985/99]
The person concerned lodged an application under the REP scheme on 3 April 1998.
Following investigation, it was discovered that there was a discrepancy between the area of land declared by him in his REP scheme application and that declared by him in his area aid application. The applicant has been asked to provide an explanation for the discrepancy.
It was also noted from the plan that he proposed to house some of his animals in his father's slatted shed. Written consent from ERAD for the proposed housing arrangement is necessary before the plan can receive further consideration.
No payment can issue until these matters have been satisfactorily resolved.
John Perry
Ceist:113 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of farmers in County Sligo awaiting the final payments on suckler cow and beef premia; when these payments will be released; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2986/99]
Under the charter of farmers rights, balancing payments under suckler cow and special beef premia schemes should commence early in the year following year of application. Balancing payments under the May 1998 suckler cow scheme commenced this week and 93 per cent of applicants have already been paid £27.472 million bringing the total paid to date under this scheme to over £136.6 million. The position with regard to County Sligo is that 94 per cent of all May 1998 applicants have been paid their suckler cow balances. Of the remaining outstanding cases, some 48 cases are under query and have not been cleared for payment at local office level. Another 44 applicants cannot be paid because they do not hold suckler cow quota. The remaining applicants have problems and outstanding queries with their area aid applications. In so far as the October 1998 suckler cow scheme is concerned, full payments cannot commence until after the six month retention period expires at the end of April 1999.
Since Ireland has exceeded its national quota under the 1998 special beef premium scheme, balancing payments under this scheme cannot be made until such time as the rate of premium is determined. All 1998 ten month applications must be examined and processed before the quota excess is determined and the appropriate payment rate calculated. In the meantime, 80 per cent advance payments will issue in February and March in respect of November and December applications respectively, following completion of the two month retention period. Furthermore, it should be noted that not all applicants will ultimately receive payment. A certain percentage under each scheme fail to establish eligibility and, accordingly, cannot be paid. Therefore, it is not possible at this stage to give an accurate estimate of the number of farmers awaiting final payments under these schemes. However, all eligible applicants under both suckler cow premium and special beef premium schemes will be paid by 30 June 1999, in line with EU regulations and charter commitments.
Michael Finucane
Ceist:114 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Limerick who has a fodder shortage caused by bad weather conditions will be considered for financial assistance under the fodder scheme. [2987/99]
In order to qualify under the 1998 winter fodder scheme, a producer must be resident and have a herd number in one of the designated DEDs. The DEDs were designated on the basis of an examination by Teagasc of areas most affected by the bad weather.
As the person named did not reside in one of the designated DEDs, he was not entitled to payment under the 1998 winter fodder package.
Michael Finucane
Ceist:115 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Limerick will be considered for financial assistance under the fodder scheme. [2988/99]
In order to qualify under the 1998 winter fodder scheme, a producer must be resident and have a herd number in one of the designated DEDs. The DEDs were designated on the basis of an examination by Teagasc of areas most affected by the bad weather.
As the person named did not reside in one of the designated DEDs, she was not entitled to payment under the 1998 winter fodder package.
Michael Finucane
Ceist:116 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Limerick will be considered for financial assistance under the fodder scheme. [2989/99]
In order to qualify under the 1998 winter fodder scheme, a producer must be resident and have a herd number in one of the designated DEDs. The DEDs were designated on the basis of an examination by Teagasc of areas most affected by the bad weather.
As the person named did not reside in one of the designated DEDs, he was not entitled to payment under the 1998 winter fodder package.
Michael Finucane
Ceist:117 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Limerick who is experiencing financial difficulties due to a fodder shortage will be considered for financial assistance under the fodder scheme. [2990/99]
In order to qualify under the 1998 winter fodder scheme, a producer must be resident and have a herd number in one of the designated DEDs. The DEDs were designated on the basis of an examination by Teagasc of areas most affected by the bad weather.
As the person named did not reside in one of the designated DEDs, he was not entitled to payment under the 1998 winter fodder package.
Michael Finucane
Ceist:118 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Limerick who was in the district electoral division was not considered eligible for the fodder grant; and if this will be rectified by making the appropriate payment. [2991/99]
In order to qualify under the 1998 winter fodder scheme, a producer had to have a herd number in one of the designated DEDs and (a) have lodged an application under the 1998 suckler cow premium scheme and have a suckler cow quota, or (b) have mountain grazing on the 1997 area aid application and have an application submitted under the 1998 sheep headage scheme or (c) have a permanent milk quota of 35,000 gallons or less on 1 April 1998 and be active in milk production in the 1998-9 season.
The person named has a herd number in a designated DED but did not lodge an application under the 1998 suckler cow premium or sheep headage schemes and is not active in milk production. He did not, therefore, qualify for aid under the 1998 winter fodder package.
Louis J. Belton
Ceist:119 Mr. Belton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will extend the fodder aid scheme to include all of County Longford in view of the severe hardship being suffered by farm families throughout the county. [2995/99]
The funds available for the 1998 fodder scheme have been committed. However, arising from discussions at the Government meeting last week, my Department and the Department of Finance have already entered into discussions to devise a suitably targeted scheme to assist farmers who are experiencing severe difficulty due to scarcity of fodder. Details of the new scheme were announced earlier this week. A copy of the press release has been forwarded to the Deputy.
Jack Wall
Ceist:120 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if an arable aid payment due to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare will be paid immediately. [2996/99]
The area aid application of the above named person was processed, but due to an error in the process of scanning the application payment issued on a reduced area. The application has now been amended and payment will issue on the correct area as soon as possible.
Gerry Reynolds
Ceist:121 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim will receive 1998 headage payments. [3025/99]
Maps for all of the plots were not received with the area aid application of the person concerned. The matter has been taken up with the applicant and maps have issued with a view to resolving the issue at the earliest possible date.