Vol. 550 No. 2
151 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if his Department has received a response from a person (details supplied) in County Cork in respect of the 2001 arable aid payments and in respect of an audit on same; and if his Department now accepts that no overpayment has been made in this case. [7541/02]
All payments issued by my Department are subject to checks and audits. This is an essential aspect of the control measures to ensure that expenditure of public moneys is accounted for correctly. In this context, an audit was carried out on the payments made under the 2001 EU arable aid scheme, the total value of which was €130 million. The purpose of the exercise was to ensure that arable aid was paid on land that met the eligibility criterion set out in EU regulations. As a result a letter issued to the person named in relation to one parcel of land. My Department is examining the reply received from the person named, including the supporting documentation and will be in contact with him as soon as this examination is completed.
152 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will receive a headage payment and other livestock related payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7545/02]
The person named added a new plot of land to his 2001 area aid application. This plot has been entered on to the Department's electronic database.
The animal-based headage schemes were replaced in 2001 by the area-based compensatory allowance scheme. This scheme, which was approved by the European Commission, provides that applicants must meet a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units per forage hectare of the holding in the year preceding application. However, farmers who are unable to meet that minimum stocking density but who traditionally qualified for headage grants in respect of cattle and-or sheep may continue to qualify for payment, provided their land is being utilised and is not in danger of undergrazing. The person named was not a headage recipient in 2000, and according to my Department's records, the stocking density of the holding does not meet the minimum requirement. My Department has now written to the person named with a view to establishing the type of farming activity being pursued. A decision on entitlement to area-based compensatory allowance will be made on receipt of reply. The person named was not an applicant under the ewe, special beef, slaughter or suckler cow premia schemes in 2001.
153 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Sligo will receive an area aid payment for 2001. [7547/02]
The 2001 area aid application submitted by the person named was received too late to be admissible under the area aid scheme.
The applicant was informed of this and he indicated that he wished to appeal this decision on medical grounds. However he has not as yet forwarded, to the area aid unit, the necessary medical evidence to support his appeal.
