Gerry Reynolds
Ceist:88 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim has not received a 2001 suckler cow premium. [9534/02]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The 2001 area aid application for the person named has been fully processed with an area determined for payment purposes of 9.65 hectares. Any payment due under the area based compensatory scheme will issue shortly.
The person named applied for premium on 15 animals under the 2001 suckler cow premium scheme. The application has been processed to payment stage and his full entitlement will issue as soon as possible.
Seymour Crawford
Ceist:89 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan can expect payment for installation aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9535/02]
The application by the person named is currently being processed and if everything is found to be in order payment will issue in due course.
Michael Ring
Ceist:90 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive area based payment for 2001 and a suckler cow premium for 2001. [9536/02]
The 2001 area aid application of the person named has now been fully processed. Any payments due under the area based compensatory allowance scheme will issue shortly.
The person named applied for premium for 32 animals under the 2001 suckler cow premium scheme. As the area aid details are now finalised payment of his suckler cow premium entitlement will issue shortly.
Jim Higgins
Ceist:91 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason for the continuing difficulties in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal. [9537/02]
One of the parcels in the 2001 area aid application submitted by the person named is overlapping with a parcel of land being claimed by another applicant. Both applicants have been written to and have been supplied with maps of the land parcels involved. They have been asked to clarify the position with regard to the land parcels in question. No payments can issue until this matter is resolved.
The person named applied for premium on 29 animals under the 2001 suckler cow premium scheme. Payment of this premium has been delayed due to problems on the area aid application. My Department wrote to the solicitors of the person named on 16 January 2002 and on 15 February 2002. The situation in relation to REPS is being examined and the Deputy will have the situation outlined to him in writing.
Michael Ring
Ceist:92 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo only received a reduced payment for the 2001 ewe premium scheme final instalment; and the reason the overpayment arose which led to the recoupment. [9594/02]
The person named initially applied for 200.41 hectares of forage land on his 2001 area aid application, but, on 15 May 2001, he amended his area aid application to reduce his claimed area to 69.95 hectares. His application has been processed on this basis. The person named was paid €3895.61 on 25 September 2001 under the 2001 area-based compensatory allowance scheme in respect of 14.72 hectares of more severely handicapped land, lowland, at €88.88 per hectare and 45.28 hectares of mountain land at €57.14 per hectare, maximum eligible area in this case is 60 hectares. As a result of the amendment to his 2001 area aid application all his lands are now classified as mountain land attracting payments at a rate of €57.14 per hectare up to a maximum of 60 hectares. As the grant payable on 60 hectares of mountain land is €3428.40 he was overpaid by €467.21 on 25 September 2001. This amount was recouped from the final instalment of the 2001 ewe premium scheme.
Following a thorough review of the area-based compensatory allowance scheme, proposals were submitted to the European Commission for increased payment rates for farmers with mountain-type land. The proposals involve making a payment of €101.58 per hectare on the first ten hectares of mountain-type land with a payment of €88.88 per hectare on each remaining hectare subject to an overall payment ceiling of 45 hectares. However the environment directorate of the European Union have indicated that they are not willing for this increased payment to be approved by the Union's star committee until Ireland have made a formal decision in relation to the implementation of the nitrates directive. Ongoing discussions are taking place between the Department of Environment and Local Government and the farming organisations in this matter. Subject to securing the necessary EU approval it is intended that the revised payment rates will apply to the 2001 scheme.