Michael Ring
Ceist:108 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1999 sheep headage. [25717/99]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The person named applied for a total of 60.54 hectares on his 1999 area aid application form. Following processing of his application an area of 60.06 hectares was determined. This represents a difference of 0.48 hectares or 0.8% between the area claimed and that determined.
Under Article 9 of EU Regulation 3887/92, no penalty is applied when the difference is less than 3%, the penalty is based on double the difference when it is between 3% and 20% and when the difference is over 20%, a 100% penalty must be applied.
Therefore in this case no penalty is applied and consequently any payments due will issue based on the determined area of 60.06h.
Michael Ring
Ceist:109 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 87 of 17 November 1999 in relation to headage payments, the reason incorrect information was supplied in relation to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [25784/99]
The person named amended his 1999 area aid application on 5 May 1999 to include two new plots. While he was permitted to add the plots in order to bring his area aid application into line with his REPS plan it was not permissible under the EU regulations concerned to add them to his forage area for 1999.
It was, however, necessary to enter the two new plots on the Departments electronic database to facilitate cross-checking with the area claimed in his REPS plan. This process has now been completed.
The application from the person concerned is a complex one involving eleven different land parcels, five of which are commonage shares. The total forage area determined in this case is 24.52 hectares made up of eight eligible parcels. One of the five commonage shares claimed – 0.68 hectares – was excluded because proof of entitlement was not submitted. When that proof is submitted by the person concerned the determined area can then be adjusted. However, since the parcel concerned represents less than 3% of the eligible area no penalty is involved and the payments due will issue as soon as possible.
Michael Ring
Ceist:110 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if, further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 92 of 10 November 1999 and 64 of 25 November 1999 in relation to sheep headage payments for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo, he will clarify the position in view of the contradictory replies. [25785/99]
Because information is accessed by reference to herdnumber the reply to the Deputy's question of 10 November related to the position of the herdnumber quoted by him on that occasion. Unfortunately the herdnumber was that of another person. The difficulties relating to the application of the person named were outlined in the reply to the question of 25 November when the correct herdnumber was quoted in the question submitted. Any inconvenience caused is regretted.