Jimmy Deenihan
Ceist:123 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when an area aid payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31455/01]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The person named leased 33 acres of land with milk quota attached from 1 April 1995 to 31 March to two other producers. The leased land was also included on his area aid applications for the years 1995 to 1999, inclusive, in contravention of the area aid terms and conditions. The resultant penalty is that he is not entitled to any area aid related grants. As he was paid a total of £30,520.81 in grants under the cattle headage, suckler cow premium and extensification premium schemes for the years in question, these grants stand to be repaid to my Department or recovered from any grants due on foot of other aid applications, including the area based compensatory allowance scheme. He was written to in the matter on 25 May 2000, 11 September and 11 October. A reply was received on 20 October and is being considered at present. When a decision is reached my Department will write to the person named.
Michael Ring
Ceist:124 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when an application for area based payment will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [31456/01]
In this case payment of £1049.84 was made under the 2001 area based compensatory allowance scheme on 24 September. The payable order was returned to the Department as the payee was deceased. On receipt of grant of probate my Department will be in a position to reissue the payable order to the person named.
Austin Deasy
Ceist:125 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in County Waterford whose land was classified as severely disadvantaged under the disadvantaged areas scheme is not being paid the full rate of area aid under the new area based compensation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31459/01]
The person named was paid £778.48, representing an entitlement of £1059.79, less overpayment of £281.30 under the 2001 area based compensatory allowance scheme on 25 September in respect of 23.55 hectares of mountain type land at £45 per hectare. This compares with his average payment of £1037.20 under the old animal based headage schemes in the three years 1998 to 2000, inclusive.
In 1997 a review of mountain type grazing lands for sheep headage purposes in the more severely handicapped areas and the less severely handicapped areas was carried out by my Department. All land classified as mountain type grazing was subsequently identified as such on the land parcel identification system. This designation as mountain type grazing suited most farmers, especially those engaged in sheep production, allowing them to be paid headage grants on mountain type ewes. In designating the areas concerned on the land parcel identification system regard had to be given to certain natural bound aries, such as rivers and roads, and it was not possible to exclude certain farms where sheep production did not take place.
Following a thorough review of the area based compensatory allowance scheme proposals have now been submitted to the European Commission for increased payment rates for farmers with mountain type land. The proposal involves making a payment of £80 per hectare on the first ten hectares of mountain type land with a payment of £70 per hectare on each remaining hectare subject to an overall payment ceiling of 45 hectares. Subject to securing the necessary EU approval it is intended that the revised payment rates will take effect in the current year.
Questions Nos. 126 and 127 withdrawn.
John Perry
Ceist:128 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 78 of 29 November, he will outline the reason a person (details supplied) has not received payment for an animal from a company (details supplied); the steps which have been put in place to ensure that payment is released; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31552/01]
The procedure for disposing of reactor animals under the TB and brucellosis disease eradication schemes operates on the basis that meat factories tender on a weekly basis for the slaughter of these animals. My Department selects the meat factories which are most financially beneficial to farmers in the prices that they offer for different types of animals.
The compensation for reactor animals comprises of the salvage value of the animal which is paid by the factory directly to the farmer and of a reactor grant, or live valuation less the salvage value, paid to the farmer by my Department.
It is important to note that at all times the ownership of the reactor animal continues to reside with the farmer. Therefore, the contract for the salvage value is a matter between the farmer and the meat factory involved. My Department's responsibility is to ensure the secure removal of the animal to slaughter and to pay the appropriate compensation.
In the circumstances where a factory goes out of business, such as has happened in the case in question, the recovery of any moneys due to losses incurred by farmers is a matter for resolution between themselves and the company's liquidators.