Vol. 513 No. 4
131 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon who made a mistake on his suckler cow premium application form and subsequently informed his Department is been penalised in applying for reserve suckler cow quota; the plans, if any, he has to overturn this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2775/00]
The person named has applied for an allocation of suckler cow quota from the year 2000 national reserve. More than 7,200 farmers have applied for quota from this reserve and their applications are presently being examined. It is not possible to say at this stage, what the result of any individual application may be but all applicants will be informed, by the end of February at the latest, of the result of their applications.
Quota will be allocated, inter alia, with reference to each applicants' livestock units. Livestock units are determined with reference to the number of animals claimed on under the ewe premium scheme, suckler cow premium scheme and special beef premium scheme in 1999, together with the livestock unit equivalent of any milk quota held on 1 April 1999.
The person named applied for the 1999 suckler cow premium scheme on nine cows. As each cow is equivalent to one livestock unit, nine livestock units will be used, in addition to other livestock unit equivalent as outlined above, in determining his eligibility for an allocation of reserve quota.
132 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if 1998 extensification will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Sligo in view of the fact that all documents have been submitted since November 1999. [2776/00]
Extensification premium is payable on all animals paid under the suckler cow and special beef premium schemes if the stocking density of the holding is less than 1.40 livestock units per hectare.
The person named applied for four cows under the 1998 suckler cow premium scheme but was not paid premium on them as he has no suckler cow quota. No application was made under the 1998 special beef premium scheme.
As no animals were paid on under the 1998 suckler cow or special beef premium schemes the person named has no entitlement to payment of 1998 extensification premium.
133 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1999 special beef premium payments. [2777/00]
As stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 245 of 26 January 2000, the person named claimed a total of 30.99 hectares on his 1999 area aid application. Following processing of his application an area of 30.24 hectares was determined. This represents a difference of 0.75 hectares or 2.48% 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, leaving the area for payment purposes at 30.24 hectares.
The person named applied for special beef premium in 1999 as follows: 22 animals in May 1999; two animals in October 1999; 13 animals in December 1999.
Advance payments of 60% in respect of his May and October 1999 applications issued to him on 1 February, 2000. A further 30% advance will be paid in respect of these applications shortly.
Payment in respect of the December application will issue when the two month retention period has expired, subject to compliance with the scheme requirements.
134 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if an area aid payment will be approved for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2778/00]
The person named applied on 19 beef cows and 27 other animals under the 1999 cattle headage scheme. However, in accordance with clause 22 of the terms and conditions governing the scheme, headage payments cannot issue to a herdowner without a valid area aid application. The closing date for receipt of 1999 area aid applications was 23 April 1999. Applications received in the period 24 April 1999 to 18 May 1999 inclusive were subject to a penalty deduction of 1% of any aid payable for each working day that the application was late. Where applications were received on or after 19 May 1999 no aid was payable. The person named submitted his application on 31 May 1999 and accordingly a 100% penalty was applied to his entitlement under the 1999 cattle headage scheme.
Applicants under the EU premia schemes may be paid on up to 15 livestock units without a valid area aid application. The person named applied on 19 cows under the 1999 suckler cow premium scheme and was paid a 60% advance of £1,198.26 on 1 November 1999 and £106.35 under the euro-compensation top-up on 20 December 1999 based on 15 cows. Payment of the 40% balance will issue to him within the next seven days.
135 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a cattle headage grant has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary. [2787/00]
An application was not received from the person named under the 1999 cattle headage scheme. In any event, as he does not have any lands in an area designated as disadvantaged, he does not qualify for payment under any of the headage schemes.
The person named submitted five applications for special beef premium in 1999.
Advance payments of 60% issued in respect of the first two applications on 13 December 1999. An advance payment in respect of the third application received on 29 October 1999 issued to the applicant on 17 January 2000.
Payment will issue shortly in respect of the fourth application received on 18 November 1999.
Payment on the final application can not yet issue as the application received on 16 December 1999 is still subject to the retention requirement of the scheme. In addition, 18 of the 23 animals submitted on this application were in excess of the 1999 ten month age category limit of 90 animals. Therefore, while these 18 animals will be deemed to have received the premium, no payment can issue, as the applicant will already have received payment for 90 animals in the ten month age category.
