Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Dec 2000

Vol. 527 No. 3

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

185 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if all payments due to farmers under the various aid and-or headage payment schemes are up to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28653/00]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

The position is that since 1 January 2000, over £708 million has been paid to farmers under the various headage and premium schemes, of which in excess of £402 million relates to payments under the 2000 schemes. The payment targets set out in the protocol on direct payments to farmers are quite specific with regard to the premium schemes and payments under these schemes commenced on the specified dates. For example, 60% advance payments under the 2000 suckler cow premium, the 2000 special beef premium and the new slaughter premium schemes were due to commence on 16 October 2000 and 186,000 payments valued at over £104 million issued to farmers under these schemes, including the national envelope, on that date. The present position is that 93% of January to August 2000 special beef premium applicants have been paid some £65 million. With regard to the 2000 suckler cow premium scheme, over 86% of all applicants have been paid almost £80 million. To date, 84% of new slaughter premium applicants have been paid some £12 million and an additional £2.3 million has been paid to those applicants who qualified under the national envelope.

With regard to the ewe premium scheme, the protocol specifies that payment of each instalment will commence within seven days of publication of the regulation setting out the rate of payment and all eligible applicants will be paid within two weeks. Payment of the first instalment commenced on 23 June 2000 following publication of the relevant EU regulation on 20 June 2000 and 94% of all applicants were paid within two weeks. Payment of the second instalment commenced on 23 October 2000 – the earliest possible date under EU regulations – and on that day 97% of all applicants were paid almost £18 million.

There were no targets set in the protocol in respect of the disadvantaged areas headage schemes pending agreement on a new area based scheme. Nevertheless, payments under the sheep headage scheme commenced on 8 September, almost three weeks earlier than the commencement date in 1999 and 90% of applicants have been paid some £18 million. Payments under the cattle headage-beef cow scheme also commenced earlier than in 1999 and so far, over £81 million has been paid to 88% of all cattle headage-beef cow applicants.

Payments under the 2000 arable aid scheme commenced on 16 November in line with Agenda 2000 arrangements, EU regulations and protocol commitments. On that day, almost £85 million was paid to 96% of all applicants under this scheme. To date, over £89 million has been paid to 98% of applicants.

Overall, the level of payments achieved to date displays my commitment to the early delivery of payments to farmers and is in line with the targets agreed with the farming bodies in the protocol on direct payments under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness.