Vol. 518 No. 3
128 Mr. M. Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason the 1997 area aid total for a person (details supplied) has not been adjusted to include the extra 3.5 hectares which were included in 1998; and when payment will be made in this regard. [11663/00]
A herd owner must submit a valid area aid application for the relevant year in order to be considered for payment of headage grants. No area aid application was received from the person named for 1997 and consequently no area aid related payment can issue.
129 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will review an application for installation aid for persons (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [11664/00]
My Department has no record of an application for installation aid from the persons named.
130 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when extensification payments will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11665/00]
In accordance with EU regulations, extensification premium is paid on all animals paid under the special beef and suckler cow premium schemes if the stocking density on the holding is less than 1.40 livestock units per hectare.
Extensification payments for 1999 will commence in May-June 2000. However, our records show that the person named has already exceeded a stocking density of two Lu/Ha and is, therefore, not eligible for 1999 extensification premium.
131 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo on all land listed on his original 1999 area aid application, including leased land. [11666/00]
As stated in my reply of 29 February 2000 to Parliamentary Question No. 130, the person named submitted an area aid application which included land in respect of which a dual claim was determined. My Department contacted both herd owners to clarify the matter. The person named has responded indicating that he does have a right to claim the parcels in question, and has been given the benefit of the dual claimed parcels. The application is now fully processed.
The person named was paid his full entitlement of £5,567.12 under the 1999 suckler cow premium scheme based on his suckler cow quota of 39.7 cows. He was also paid his full entitlement of £2,620.59 under the 1999 cattle headage scheme based on 29.24 hectares. The grant was calculated in accordance with clause 26 of the terms and conditions governing the scheme which provides that an applicant qualifying for disadvantaged areas beef cow headage grants may not receive more than £89.62 per forage hectare.
132 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive 1999 cattle and sheep headage and premia. [11667/00]
133 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a special beef premium grant was not paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason his Department was not in a position to confirm that this person was not eligible; the reason his Department stamped the cards when this person was not entitled to the grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11683/00]
The person named submitted an area aid application declaring a forage area of 49 hectares in 1999. This gave him a stocking limit for premium purposes of 98 livestock units. Of the 98 livestock units, 84.09 livestock units were accounted for by his milk quota. This left a maximum of 13.91 livestock units on which payment of premium could be made.
The person named applied for special beef premium in respect of a total of 46 animals over six applications in 1999. The animals on the six applications constituted 28.4 livestock units. Advance payment has been made to the maximum entitlement of the applicant of 13.91 livestock units.
Once each application was processed, a statement was issued to the person named informing him of the status of the application, including the livestock unit value of each animal. In addition, the person named was informed in writing on 27 March 2000 of the reason for non-payment of premium.
In accordance with the EU regulations governing the scheme, animals applied on in excess of the applicant's stocking density limit are deemed to have received the age category of premium applied for and are not eligible for payment of that category of premium subsequently. Therefore, the cattle passports are correctly stamped and correctly reflect the premium status of the animals concerned.
134 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when outstanding matters of area aid for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will be brought to a satisfactory conclusion; if this person's entitlement to shares on the commonage is acceptable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11684/00]
The herd number referred to is registered in the name of the mother of the person named and it is in her name that the area aid application under the 1999 scheme was submitted.
The area aid applicant claimed a half share of a commonage parcel as part of her 1999 area aid application amounting to 24.26 hectares. She was requested by the area aid unit to provide proof of entitlement to this amount of commonage but did not produce sufficient documentary proof to support her claim.
However, in order to process this application my Department will take account of information provided on behalf of the applicant by Donegal County Council and on this basis my Department is prepared to give the applicant the benefit of 3.46 hectares of commonage, an area equivalent to a 4/56th share.
Accordingly, the area on the application has been adjusted downwards without penalty. The total area on which area aid payments will, therefore, be calculated is 7.63 hectares. Any payments due will issue shortly.
