Ned O'Keeffe
Ceist:105 Mr. N. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will re-investigate a payment under the extensification scheme which was made at the second rate to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [22978/02]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The person named participated in the 2001 extensification premium scheme opting for the census system. Under EU regulations, the Department is required to carry out a percentage of on-farm checks in order to ensure that the stocking density payment limits are not breached. On-farm checks are carried out from records held in bovine herd registers which farmers are obliged to maintain. The number of bovine livestock units to be taken into account in any case is ascertained from the number of animals over six months present in the herd on the census date. On the basis of the findings at all five census dates for 2001, my Department considered that the person named was entitled to extensification premium at the lower rate and payment issued at this rate.
The figures supplied by the person named on his census forms for the five census dates in 2001 and the figures which are now put forward differ widely. In view of the large discrepancy at the first and some other census dates, my Department intends carrying out an investigation into the eligibility of the person named for any extensification premium for 2001.