Charles Flanagan
Ceist:110 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if payment will be made under the suckler cow scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Laois. [11398/00]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
(Mr. Walsh): The person named was excluded from payment under the 1993 and 1994 special beef premium schemes due to non-compliance with the regulations of the 1993 scheme. Special beef premium and BSE compensation scheme payments totalling £10,955.50 had already issued on foot of 1993 and 1994 applications and these monies fell due to be recouped from future payments due. These overpayments have now been refunded to the Department by means of systematic recovery from premia payments due.
Details of overpayments recouped are set out in the following table:
|
1999 special beef premium scheme |
£205.45 |
|
1998 extensification scheme |
£1,337.03 |
|
BSE compensation schemes |
£547.29 |
|
1999 cattle headage scheme |
£335.54 |
|
1998 suckler cow premium scheme |
£4,347.13 |
|
1999 suckler cow premium scheme |
£4,183.06 |
|
Total amount recovered |
£10,955.50 |
The balance of 1999 suckler cow payments of £304.30 was issued to the person named on 17 February 2000.
John Perry
Ceist:111 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if his attention has been drawn to the circumstances of a REP scheme case of a person (details supplied); if he will reconsider this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11399/00]
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
(Mr. Walsh): Following an inspection of the farm of the person named in April 1997 penalties of 110% were imposed in respect of the infilling of a watercourse and for failing to spread lime as required in his agri-environmental plan. As the penalty amounted to 100% or more, the scheme conditions at the time required that the applicant's participation in REPS be terminated and that he refund all payments received. In accordance with the procedures for appeal, the applicant first appealed the penalties to his local departmental office. This appeal was unsuccessful.
The applicant further appealed the decision to my Department's REPS appeals committee. The matter was examined by the committee which decided to uphold the penalty and the applicant was informed of the decision in February 1998. Subsequently, the applicant contacted the office of the Ombudsman, and at that office's request the matter was reviewed by the appeals committee. In this review, no substantial issues were found which warranted a change of the original decision.
I am satisfied the applicant has had every opportunity to present his case for review and appeal and that my Department has examined the matter thoroughly and fairly before arriving at its decision.
Jim Higgins
Ceist:112 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a headage payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo whose maps were lost by his Department and whose record was subsequently wiped from his Department's records because of a computer error. [11400/00]
One of the parcels claimed by the person named in his 1999 area aid application overlapped with a parcel of land claimed by another applicant. The person named was contacted in this regard and in his reply clarified the position by including a map showing the correct position. This information has now been entered on to the Department's electronic database, and his application is clear for payment based on the full 10.50 hectares he included in his application.
The person named applied for special beef premium in respect of four animals in 1999. Advance payment of 60% issued to him on 1 November 1999 totalling £205.46. He was also an applicant under the 1999 suckler cow premium scheme, and an advance payment of 60% amounting to £399.42, in respect of five suckler cows, was made to him on 1 November 1999.
When a problem arose in relation to his area aid application, these advances were deemed to have been overpaid and were subsequently recovered from headage payments, £24 from his 1999 sheep headage and £580.88 from his 1999 cattle headage. Now that his area aid application has been cleared, my Department refunded £399.42 on 30 March 2000 and the balance will issue within the next two weeks.
Willie Penrose
Ceist:113 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if a REP scheme payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11401/00]
The person named has an anniversary date in the scheme of 1 March. He made an application for fifth year payment on 31 March 2000 and this is currently being processed in my Department's local office.