Vol. 503 No. 3
215 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason for the delay in issuing payments under a 1998 area aid application for a person (details supplied) in County Cork for extensification, cattle headage, beef premia and forestry compensation grants. [9703/99]
The area aid application has been processed. However, the applicant sought to include additional land on the application but this could not be facilitated as maps had not been received. My Department contacted the person concerned and the maps were subsequently received. The processing of these maps has now been completed and payments will issue as soon as possible.
216 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a Department official will call to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo to walk his land and verify the total forage area in hectares, in view of the fact he was promised this and his 1999 area aid application form has issued incorrectly. [9704/99]
As stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 199 of 9 March 1999, I have arranged for an area aid inspection to be carried out on the area claimed by the person named. This will take place as soon as possible.
217 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason payment of the REP scheme has been held up for persons (details supplied) in County Sligo in view of the fact that separate area aid applications, testing of their herd and separate Department testing in relation to animals have been carried out; and the other procedures to be followed by these persons to prove these facts and to be treated as a separate identity. [9740/99]
This application is being examined in the context of the separation of holdings between husband and wife. The scheme conditions prevent the creation or splitting of holdings to draw down or increase REPS payments. My Department must ensure that the financial interests of the Exchequer and the European Union are protected by thoroughly investigating cases where this may be an issue.
218 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1998 headage and premia payments in view of the fact that he submitted title deeds of his holding to the area aid unit by registered post some time ago. [9751/99]
The title deeds of the herdowner concerned have been received and the application has been processed. Any payments due will issue as soon as possible.
219 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a 1998 special beef premium, cattle headage and suckler cow premium. [9752/99]
The area aid application for the person concerned has been processed. However, the applicant sought to include additional land but this could not be facilitated as maps had not been received. Maps have recently been received and are currently being processed. As soon as the processing has been completed any payments due, will issue as soon as possible.
220 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a 1997 suckler cow grant has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway. [9753/99]
Application was made by the person named under the suckler cow premium on 28 May 1997 in respect of 30 cows. Full payment amounting to £4206.90 issued to him in respect of his 1997 claim.
An application was lodged by the person named on 27 May 1998 in respect of 30 cows under the 1998 suckler cow premium scheme. At an on-farm inspection on 24 July 1998 only 27 of the cows listed on the claim were presented for inspection. Further checks revealed that the person named did not have all the cows declared in his ownership and possession on the date of application. In accordance with the regulations governing the scheme the applicant was deemed to have made a false declaration. Consequently he was not eligible for payment under the 1998 suckler cow premium scheme.
The person named has been informed of this decision.
221 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the remaining £150 fodder payment will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9755/99]
222 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if two payments for a 22 month beef premium will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9756/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 221 and 222 together.
The suckler cow quota lease which the person named originally signed did not come into effect due to non-payment to the lessor. Therefore she does not have any entitlement to suckler cow premium and consequently no entitlement to fodder aid or top-up payment. The question of refund of the original £300 payment under the 1998 winter fodder scheme will now have to be examined.
223 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if outstanding headage payments will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon based on his Department's inspection carried out in 1997 in view of the fact she was given incorrect information by his Department in 1994. [9758/99]
While the person named applied to my Department for a herd number in 1994, she could not be registered as a herdowner because she did not own or lease land at that time. She applied again in 1997 for a herd number and as she had leased land she was allocated a herd number by the District Veterinary Office.
No applications under the headage schemes were submitted by the person named for the years 1994 to 1997, inclusive. In any event no grant can be paid for these years as the person concerned was not a registered herdowner.
224 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the fourth instalment of the REP scheme payment and the third year payment due under the supplementary measure five hill walking will be paid in view of the fact all the documents are lodged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9759/99]
The person's application is currently being reviewed arising from a compliance check recently carried out. A decision on the case will be issued in the near future.
225 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the compensation payments a person (details supplied) will receive due to the reduction in his quota; if he will be able to regain his lost quota if he is not compensated; if he will clarify the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9760/99]
The person named has already been paid £3,240 under the 1998 ewe supplementary measure. A decision regarding his quota situation will not be made until the framework plans for the commonage involved have been formulated. It is expected that the majority of the framework plans will be drawn up before the end of the summer.
The person concerned may apply to join the rural environment protection scheme (REPS) which provides for payment of £77.13 per acre on the first 100 acres of commonage, £7.65 per acre on the next 100 acres and £5.95 per acre on the next 100 acres. Alternatively he may apply to join a national agri-environment scheme to be operated by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.
226 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the compensation payments a person (details supplied) will receive due to the reduction in his quota; if he will be able to regain his lost quota if he is not compensated; if he will clarify the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9761/99]
The person named has already been paid £2,790 under the 1998 ewe supplementary measure. A decision regarding his quota situation will not be made until the framework plans for the commonage involved have been formulated. It is expected that the majority of the framework plans will be drawn up before the end of the summer.
The person concerned may apply to join the rural environment protection scheme (REPS) which provides for payment of £77.13 per acre on the first 100 acres of commonage, £7.65 per acre on the next 100 acres and £5.95 per acre on the next 100 acres. Alternatively he may apply to join a national agri-environment scheme to be operated by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.
227 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if a favourable decision will be made on an appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Sligo in view of the fact that due to lack of time he was unable to have all his sheep gathered; if payment will be released; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9762/99]
The herdowner lodged an appeal concerning his 1998 ewe premium application. The appeal is currently being examined and the herdowner was requested on 12 April 1999, to provide further information to the headage and premia appeals unit. On receipt of this information from the herdowner the appeal will be examined further.
228 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if, further to Parliamentary Question 243 of 23 February 1999 the case of a person (details supplied) will be reviewed based on the information provided regarding his employment in view of the fact he only works on a three or four day basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9763/99]
The case of the person named has been reviewed by my Department but no evidence has been provided to show that he is permanently residing within 70 miles of his holding as required under the terms and conditions governing the headage schemes.
