Ulick Burke
Ceist:146 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a grant due to a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be paid under the headage scheme; and the reason for the delay. [3503/99]
Written Answers - Grant Payments.
An incomplete 1998 area aid application was submitted by the person named. A map has been issued to enable the applicant to outline outstanding plots and therefore, allow the application to be finalised.
Ulick Burke
Ceist:147 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his Department will pay a hardship grant to a person (details supplied) in County Galway who has had his herd restricted since May 1998 and is in a serious fodder crisis due to retention on farm of all livestock; if he will consider a depopulation scheme in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3516/99]
An essential prerequisite for eligibility under the hardship grant scheme is that the herd- owner is not in receopt of off-farm income. While no application for a hardship grant has been received in the district veterinary office from the herdowner, the person named made the district veterinary office aware that she is in receipt of off-farm income which would preclude her from receiving a hardship grant payment.
A total of four reactor animals have been identified to date out of an initial herd of 32 animals. Normally in the case of herds in which bovine tuberculosis has been identified a significantly higher percentage of animals would have to be identified and removed as reactors before depopulation of a herd would be considered. A veterinary inspector from the district veterinary office will discuss the situation with the herdowner.
Ulick Burke
Ceist:148 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a grant due under the headage scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Galway will be paid; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3517/99]
The person named will be paid his entitlement under the 1998 cattle headage scheme within the next two weeks.
Michael Creed
Ceist:149 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Cork who has returned all the relevant maps to the area aid unit will receive 1998 cattle headage, suckler cow, ten and 22 month beef premium and sheep headage payments. [3518/99]
It was necessary to supply maps to the person concerned to enable all of the farm to be indentified. The maps have now been completed and returned by the person named and have been processed in the area aid unit. Any outstanding payments due will issue as soon as possible.
Michael Creed
Ceist:150 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Cork who has returned all the relevant maps to the area aid unit will receive 1998 sheep headage. [3519/99]
It was necessary to supply maps to the person concerned to enable all of the farm to be identified. The maps have now been completed and returned by the person named and are being procesed in the area aid unit. Any outstanding payments due will issue as soon as possible.
Michael Creed
Ceist:151 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be paid 1997 beef premium and 1998 ten and 22 month beef premium. [3521/99]
The person named entered 62 animals for special beef premium in 1997. Advance payment in respect of 53 of these animals issued on 26 January 1998. Balancing payments were withheld pending clearance of the 1997 area aid application. This application was recently cleared and the balance due will issue within the coming fortnight.
The person named entered 80 animals under the 1998 scheme. Payment has not yet issued as the person named included four pieces of land on his 1998 area aid application for which he did not submit the relevant maps. Payment under the 1998 scheme cannot be made until the area aid application is cleared.
Michael Creed
Ceist:152 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Cork was entitled to benefit under the fodder scheme; and, if so, if he will make arrangements for payment of the grant immediately. [3525/99]
In order to qualify under the 1998 winter fodder scheme a producer had to have: (a) mountain grazing and have an application submitted under the 1998 sheep headage scheme; or (b) a herd number in one of the designated DEDs and have lodged an application under the 1998 suckler cow premium scheme and hold a suckler cow quota; or (c) have a permanent milk quota of 35,000 gallons or less on 1 April 1998 and be active on milk production in the 1998-99 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 did not have a milk quota at 1 April 1998. He did not, therefore, qualify for aid under the 1998 winter fodder package.
As the Deputy is aware a new fodder scheme has now been agreed by the Government, details of which are being finalised and will be announced shortly.