Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 3 Oct 2001

Vol. 541 No. 2

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

John McGuinness

Ceist:

316 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 235 of 1 May 2001, the reason payments have not been issued; if the cheques issued have been cashed; if the investigation to resolve the issues has been completed; if an investigation was undertaken; the reasons commitments given in reply to the previous parliamentary question have not been honoured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21689/01]

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

The person named did not receive any area linked payments in respect of 2000 since as pointed out in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 236 of 1 May 2000, he incurred a 100% area aid penalty as he was found to have over-claimed on his area aid application by more than 20%. No other premia payments were made to the person named and therefore the question of cheques having been issued to him does not arise.

The person named is not the registered owner of the additional herdnumber quoted i.e. J1550669 and as already pointed out to you in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 235 of 1 May 2001, he is not entitled to receive information relating to that herdnumber.

Dan Neville

Ceist:

317 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a REP scheme payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [21690/01]

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

The person named began his participation in REPS in October 1998. A cross-compliance check subsequently raised important issues regarding the area declared in his agri-environmental plan. He submitted a revised plan in November 2000 but it contained mapping errors. A second revised plan was submitted in March 2001, but examination of it necessitated an on-farm visit and this could not take place while the foot and mouth disease restrictions prevented REPS inspections.

This most recent plan has now been examined by my Department but it does not address adequately the deficiencies noted in the previous versions. My Department will write to the person named and to his planner this week, setting out the problems and requesting that the plan be revised to correct them. Payments cannot be processed until my Department is satisfied that the areas declared in the plan are correct.

Michael Ring

Ceist:

318 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a 2000 cattle headage payment. [21749/01]

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

A herdowner 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 the year 2000, and consequently no cattle headage payments can be made for the year in question.