Vol. 517 No. 3
110 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the position in relation to an area aid application for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9565/00]
The person named was one of a number of herdowners selected to be audited in respect of his area aid application. This audit has now been completed and the area aid application has been fully processed. Any payments due will issue as soon as possible.
111 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will make a statement on the REP scheme payment for a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the payments, if any, to be made for each year of participation where a flock owner reduces his ewe numbers from a quota of 163 to 83 to comply with REP scheme regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9566/00]
The person named was approved for participation in REPS in August 1997. The agri-environmental plan showed that he wished to avail of supplementary measure 2, rejuvenate degraded areas, but payment was made in respect of supplementary measure 1, natural heritage areas, in error.
The application for second year payment again included supplementary measure 2. When payment for year two was being made, account was taken of the previous year's error, which had led to an overpayment, and the level of payment was adjusted accordingly.
When application for payment for the third year of the scheme was received, it contained an application for payment under supplementary measure 1. However, the applicant had not submitted an amended plan and it was not possible to make payment under this supplementary measure. Payment has continued on the basis of supplementary measure 2 which provides, where stock numbers are reduced to sustainable levels on the commonage and grazing is permitted throughout the year, an area payment of 72 euro per hectare subject to a maximum of 40 hectares with an additional annual premium of 254 euro per livestock unit reduced.
The REP scheme was amended in 1999 with the various supplementary measures available to farmers with land in NH. As amalgamated into one new supplementary measure, SMA conservation of natural heritage. Existing participants at the time could choose to continue their existing contracts or avail of payments under the new measure. The person named has not made application for payment under the new measure.
