Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 19 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 5

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Paul Connaughton

Ceist:

146 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a 2000 extensification grant, lower rate, payment was not made to persons (details supplied) in County Galway; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this herd was closed down due to tuberculosis outbreaks for most of 2000; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that this person has no other income; if he will allow the payment of the extensification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5612/02]

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

The persons named participated in the 2000 extensification premium scheme opting for the census system.

Under the terms of the relevant EU regulation governing extensification premium, where the movement of bovine animals out of a herd is restricted on a census date or within a 20-day period immediately following a census date, due to an outbreak of tuberculosis-brucellosis, a co-efficient of 0.8 is applied to the livestock unit value of the bovine animals present on the census date in question.

During the course of 2000, the herd of the persons named was restricted under tuberculosis regulations on the second, third, fourth and fifth census dates. The 0.8 co-efficient was applied to the livestock unit value of bovines present on the holding on these four dates.

In order to compensate herdowners for the loss of markets during the autumn of 2000 resulting from the BSE crisis, a separate EU regulation provided for the granting of a BSE marketing difficulties concession to herdowners who could prove that they experienced genuine marketing difficulties in the disposal of cattle in the period 15 October 2000 to 31 December 2000. The fifth census date fell within this period. Under EU regulations, the tuberculosis-brucellosis concession and the BSE marketing difficulties concession cannot be both applied at the fifth census date.

Since the stocking density of the persons named was in excess of 2.00 livestock units per hectare after granting the appropriate concessions, they cannot be considered for payment of 2000 extensification premium at the low rate of payment.