Vol. 500 No. 7
228 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) will have his suckler cow quota granted in view of the fact that he applied on two occasions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4851/99]
The person named has applied for an allocation of suckler cow quota from the 1999 national reserve. He applied under category B which on the basis of the qualifying criteria recommended by the quota review group is confined to farmers who had at least ten and not more than 20 livestock units based on their 1998 applications under the suckler cow premium scheme, special beef premium scheme, and ewe premium scheme and the livestock units equivalent of any milk quota held.
As the person named has only six livestock units, he does not qualify for an allocation of quota from this reserve.
229 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a person (details supplied) in County Sligo will be allowed to lease or rent out his excess suckler cow quota in view of the fact that he is on limited income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4962/99]
Under EU regulations governing the quota regime, farmers holding suckler cow quotas greater than seven premium rights are required to use at least 90 per cent of that quota every year, otherwise the part not used will be forfeited and returned to the national reserve.
In 1997, the person named used only six of his nine premium rights and as he did not use at least 90 per cent of his quota, the unused quota, i.e., three premium rights were returned to the national reserve. However, on appeal, the three premium rights were restored to him and he was allowed retain his full quota of nine premium rights for 1998 as he gave an undertaking that he would fill his quota in 1998. In 1998, he again used only six premium rights and again, the unused quota, i.e., three premium rights has been returned to the national reserve. He has, therefore, a quota of six premium rights available to him for 1999.
