John Ellis
Ceist:347 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will pay the balance of cattle headage and suckler cow premium due for 2000 to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim. [22266/01]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The person named applied under the 2000 cattle headage scheme and the 2000 suckler cow scheme on 31 May 2000.
At an inspection of his herd carried out on 4 October 2000, five cows, tag numbers DPSR0043P, DPSR0038G, DPSR0040V, DPSR0037J and DPSR0041T, were rejected for grants under the cattle headage and suckler cow premium schemes as they had no passports. Three other animals, tag numbers 231148110095, 231148160100 and 231148180102, were also rejected under the cattle headage scheme, as they had no passports.
My Department wrote to him on 8 December 2000 advising him that as he was in breach of the terms and conditions of the cattle headage and suckler cow premium schemes, in relation to ani mal identification and registration requirements, a reduction penalty of 16% would apply under the 2000 cattle headage scheme and a reduction penalty of 27.5% would apply to his 2000 suckler cow premium application. He was given the opportunity to have these decisions reviewed. His application for a review was received in my Department on 1 May 2001. He was written to on 19 June 2001 informing him that his application under the 2000 cattle headage scheme remained subject to a 16% penalty and the 27.5% penalty under the 2000 suckler cow premium scheme was reduced to 23.69%. Payments under both schemes issued on this basis. He was given the opportunity to appeal the Department's decision by writing to the Headage and Premia Appeals Unit, Agriculture House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2, within 21 days. No appeal was received from the person named.
Liam Aylward
Ceist:348 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will arrange immediate payment to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny in view of the medical evidence submitted in support of this person's appeal against the decision to refuse payment of the fifth year instalment of the REP scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22357/01]
The person named began her participation in REPS on 1 March 1996. The fifth and final year of her contract began on 1 March 2000 and her application for the fifth year payment should have been received by 30 April 2000 to avoid penalties for late application. It was not received however until 6 April 2001, after her REPS contract had ended.
On 15 May 2001 the person named requested a review, on the grounds of illness, of the decision to withhold her fifth year payment. On 12 June, my Department asked her to submit a medical certificate showing the duration of her illness. However, the medical evidence she then provided was not specific about the time or duration of her illness and did not give grounds for my Department to change its decision. If she can submit further and more specific medical evidence, however, my Department will consider it and I have asked my officials to inform her of this.
Question No. 349 answered with Question No. 271.