Dan Neville
Ceist:206 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a beef premium payment for 2002 will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [12611/03]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The person named made four applications under the special beef premium scheme in respect of a total of 127 animals in 2002 as follows:
|
27 May |
3 animals |
|
10 October |
14 animals |
|
18 December |
99 animals |
|
30 December |
11 animals |
|
Total |
127 |
Advance payments have issued in respect of the May, October and 30 December applications. Advance payments in respect of 99 animals on the third application will issue shortly now that the cattle movement monitoring system records have been updated.
Balancing payments on all applications will issue when the final position on the special beef premium overshoot is known.
Michael Ring
Ceist:207 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive the 20% suckler cow premium payment for 2002; and when extensification for 2002 will issue to this person. [12642/03]
The person named applied for premium for two animals under the 2002 suckler cow premium scheme. Payment of his 80% advance instalment amounting to €358.64 issued on 16 October 2002 and a 20% balance payment for €89.66 issued on 1 May 2003.
The person named participated in 2002 extensification premium opting for the simplified system. Payment of this premium is scheduled to commence in June.
Denis Naughten
Ceist:208 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason for the delay in issuing suckler cow and special beef premia payments; when these payments will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12697/03]
The issue of 20% balancing payments under the 2002 suckler cow and special beef premia schemes commenced on 30 April. To date more than €37 million in balancing payments has been paid to 55,000 farmers under the suckler cow premium scheme and €27 million has been paid to 132,000 farmers under the special premium scheme.
The later commencement of the balancing payments arose due to the EU requirement to apply penalties across all bovine premium schemes with effect from the 2002 scheme year and because of problems with the overshoot of the special beef premium national quota. While the requirement to apply penalties across all bovine premuim schemes under amending Regulation 2419/2001 will mean later balancing payments for 2002 and future years, the penalties that will be applied to the bovine schemes for irregularities and late lodgement of area aid applications will be much lighter than those applied up to now.