Vol. 546 No. 4
71 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if a person, who owns 64 acres lowland and 250 acres commonage in a designated disadvantaged area in the Sligo-Leitrim area and who does not have livestock, can apply for the new area aid based payment on acreage even though part of the lands are rented to a person who is not claiming grant subsidies on this land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32007/01]
Under the terms and conditions of the 2001 disadvantaged areas compensatory allowance scheme an applicant, to be eligible for payment, must be a person aged 18 years or over and hold a herd number issued by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, occupy and farm a minimum of three hectares of forage land in a disadvantaged area, reside within daily commuting distance – 70 miles – of the holding on which compensatory allowance is being claimed, undertake to remain in farming for 5 years from the first payment of compensatory allowance, comply with good farming practice as published by the Department in the CAP rural development plan 2000-2006, comply with the EU hormones Directives 96/22/EC and 96/23/EC and meet a minimum stocking level of 0.15 livestock units equivalent/forage hectare of the entire holding in 2000. This minimum stocking level will not apply where the rural environment protection scheme or other recognised environmental measures require a lower stocking density.
However, farmers who are unable to meet the minimum stocking density but who qualified for headage grants in 2000 in respect of cattle and/or sheep may qualify for payment under the new scheme, provided their land is being utilised and is not in danger of undergrazing.
72 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) will receive headage payments; the reason for the delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32028/01]
The 2001 area aid application for the person named has been fully processed and payment due under the 2001 area-based compensatory allowance scheme will issue later this week.
73 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will rescind the decision made on an application for area aid by a person (details supplied). [32029/01]
In the light of the foot and mouth situation earlier this year, I arranged for the closing date for submission of area aid applications to be extended by four weeks to 27 April 2001. In line with the relevant EU regulations, since an area aid application was not submitted by the person named within the extended timeframe, no disadvantaged areas compensatory allowance scheme payment can be made for 2001.
74 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the number of persons in County Kerry who qualified for payment under the REP scheme, from 1994 to 1999; the number of persons in County Kerry who have qualified under the new REP scheme to date in 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32041/01]
There were 2,269 farmers in Kerry approved for participation in the first REP Scheme from 1994 to 1999. Of these, some 1,070 are still within their REPS 1 contracts. To date my Department has received 954 applications under the new scheme and 769 of these have already received their first payment.
75 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a full 2000 suckler cow grant payment was not made to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32053/01]
Under EU regulations, farmers holding suckler cow quotas greater than seven are required to use at least 90% of the quota every year, otherwise the part not used will be forfeited and returned to the national reserve. The person named held a suckler cow quota of 15 premium rights in 1999.
He applied for the 1999 suckler cow premium scheme on only six cows which resulted in his quota being reduced to six premium rights. Following an appeal, he was allowed retain his full quota for the year 2000 on the basis that he would apply for and have accepted for payment, 15 eligible cows.
He applied on only 11 eligible cows in 2000 but, owing to an oversight, his quota remained at six premium rights, and he was only paid on six animals. His quota has now been restored to 11 premium rights for the year 2000 and payment of the year 2000 suckler cow premium for the remaining five animals will be made as soon as possible.
76 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason an area based payment was refused to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32117/01]
Payment due under the 2001 area-based compensatory allowance scheme will issue to the person named later this week.
77 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason two tuberculosis reactor grants have not been made to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32118/01]
Following receipt recently of the necessary tax clearance certificate from the person concerned in the district veterinary office the appropriate reactor compensation will issue shortly.
Question No. 78 withdrawn.
