Michael Finucane
Ceist:82 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a fodder grant will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [4685/99]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
In order to qualify under the 1998 winter fodder scheme a producer had to 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. The herd number referred to by the Deputy is not in any of the designated DEDs. Therefore the person named was not entitled to payment under the 1998 winter fodder package. A new 1999 winter fodder scheme has been agreed by the Government. However, as the person named was not an applicant under the 1998 suckler cow premium or ewe premium schemes and did not hold a milk quota at 1 April 1998, he will not receive assistance under the new general scheme. He may qualify under the special hardship fund scheme.
Liam Aylward
Ceist:83 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when payments under the 1997 and 1998 ten month beef schemes will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [4687/99]
The person concerned submitted two ten month special beef premium applications on 3 December 1997, one in respect of five animals and one in respect of eight animals. Article 4(G) of Council Regulation (EEC) NO. 2066/92 states, inter alia, that the total number of animals qualifying for special beef 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 based on the declared forage area of 11.83 hectares the person concerned was entitled to qualify for premia on 23.66 LUs. He applied for premium on 168 ewes which amounted to 25.2 LUs, that is 168 multiplied by 15 LUs. Consequently he exceeded the stocking density restriction on his holding for 1997 and could not qualify for payment of premia in respect of his two special beef premium applications.
In 1998, he submitted two ten month applications, one in respect of 12 animals on 8 January 1998 and one in respect of ten animals on 25 May 1998. Eighty per cent payments in respect of both applications issued to the person concerned on 1 December 1998.
John Perry
Ceist:84 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Sligo has not received a fodder payment in view of the fact that he received headage on the mares; if payment will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4688/99]
In order to qualify under the 1998 winter fodder scheme a producer had to have mountain grazing and have an application submitted under the 1998 sheep headage scheme or have 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 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 did not have a milk quota at 1 April 1998. He did not therefore qualify for aid under the 1998 winter fodder package.
The Government has decided to provide further aid to alleviate the fodder crisis. The details of this measure were announced yesterday. The person named may qualify under the special hardship fund element of this scheme.
John Perry
Ceist:85 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) will be approved for the fodder relief scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4689/99]
In order to qualify under the 1998 winter fodder scheme a producer had to have a herd number in one of the designated DEDs. The DEDs were designated on the basis of an examination by Teagasc of areas most affected by the bad weather. The herd number referred to by the Deputy is not in any of the designated DEDs. Therefore, the person named was not entitled to payment under the 1998 winter fodder package. A new fodder scheme has been agreed by the Government details of which were announced yesterday, but as the person named was not an applicant under the 1998 suckler cow premium or ewe premium schemes and did not hold a milk quota at 1 April 1998, he will not receive assistance under the new general scheme. However, he may qualify under the special hardship fund measure.
John Perry
Ceist:86 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) will be approved for the fodder relief scheme in view of the fact that he has dry stock animals and he is experiencing fodder shortage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4690/99]
In order to qualify under the 1998 winter fodder scheme a producer had to have a herd number in one of the designated DEDs. The DEDs were designated on the basis of an examination by Teagasc of areas most affected by the bad weather. The herd number referred to by the Deputy is not in any of the designated DEDs. Therefore, the person named was not entitled to payment under the 1998 winter fodder package. A new 1999 winter fodder scheme has been agreed by the Government recently and the details were announced yesterday. The person named may qualify under the special hardship fund element of this scheme.
John Perry
Ceist:87 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 249 of 15 December 1998, a person (details supplied) will be paid a 1998 sheep headage payment immediately in view of the fact he has lodged maps on two different occasions together with his deeds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4691/99]
Subsequent to the lodgement of his application form, this applicant contacted the area aid unit to state that the application form submitted by him did not reflect the total area of land he wished to claim. After further examination of the application in question it was accepted that the applicant wished to claim the same area of land as he claimed in 1997. Following the processing of the applicants revised claim, an overclaim of greater than 20 per cent was determined.
The area aid application of the person named has now been finalised with a penalty being applied to the forage area. The result of the overclaim is a 100 per cent penalty on all area aid based payments in 1998.
Michael Ring
Ceist:88 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a third year REP scheme payment in view of the fact he has already had two inspections. [4693/99]
This case was chosen at random for a compliance inspection. On inspection, an issue arose in relation to the separation of holdings. This is currently being examined by officials of my Department. No payment can issue until this matter has been satisfactorily resolved.
Michael Ring
Ceist:89 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will get the reminder of 1998 sheep headage payments in view of the fact he was promised this several weeks ago. [4695/99]
Payment of the balance of the 1998 sheep headage grant will be made to the person named within the next week.
Michael Ring
Ceist:91 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when persons (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive winter fodder aid compensation particularly in view of the losses they incurred in 1998. [4697/99]
In order to qualify under the 1998 winter fodder scheme a producer had to have mountain grazing and have an application submitted under the 1998 sheep headage scheme or 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 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 did not have a milk quota at 1 April 1998. He did not therefore qualify for aid under the 1998 winter fodder package.
The Government has decided to provide further aid to alleviate the fodder crisis. The details of this measure were announced yesterday. The person named may qualify for the special hardship fund provided he meets the terms of the scheme.