Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

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459 Questions— 22 February 2005. Written Answers 460[Mr. Sargent.]to farmer forestry premium payments; and if shewill suspend the payment of further premiumspending he outcome of such review. [5575/05]Minister for Agriculture and Food (MaryCoughlan): Having examined the relevant application,I am satisfied the person in question meetsthe criteria laid down for payment of the farmerrateof forestry premium.Freedom of Information Requests.284. Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agricultureand Food if, in addition to the informalthird party observations sought by telephone on7 October 2004, there was other informal oral orwritten contact with a person (details supplied),her spouse or any other party concerningFOI/04/176; the reason for any such contact andthe outcome thereof. [5576/05]Minister for Agriculture and Food (MaryCoughlan): In addition to informal third partyobservations sought by my Department with thenamed individual on 7 October 2004, the individual’sspouse contacted the Department by telephoneon the same day. The outcome of that contactwas to confirm the reluctance of theindividual concerned to the release by theDepartment of the information in question.Contact was also made by the Department withthe Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain PlanningMatters and Payments, which had earlier in 2004sought and been given the relevant records/filerelating to the application for forestry premiumby the individual concerned. The purpose of thiscontact was to advise the tribunal that theDepartment had received a request under theFreedom of Information Acts for suchrecords/file and to establish whether the tribunalwould have a difficulty with their release. The tribunalindicated that it had no such difficulty.There was also communication with the requesterfor the purpose of apprising him of progress inprocessing his request.285. Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agricultureand Food if she will provide a copy of theguidelines received by her Department from theFOI central policy unit of the Department of Financeadvising all decision-makers to consult anythird parties informally when deliberating overthe release of records involving these parties.[5577/05]Minister for Agriculture and Food (MaryCoughlan): As agreed with the Deputy’s office, acopy of the FOI central policy unit notice number13, “Requests involving third parties — A step bystep guide” was forwarded to him on 16February 2005.286. Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agricultureand Food if her Department has found alacuna in the Freedom of Information Acts; if shewill provide a copy of the record of the mannerin which any such lacuna has been brought to theattention of the Department of Finance and theAttorney General. [5578/05]Minister for Agriculture and Food (MaryCoughlan): My Department has not concludedthat the Freedom of Information Acts containany lacunae.Milk Quota.287. Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Agricultureand Food the reason a quota belonging toa person (details supplied) in County Clare wasreduced; and if she will make a statement on thematter. [5592/05]Minister for Agriculture and Food (MaryCoughlan): The person named applied to leasehis entire quota under the milk quota temporaryleasing scheme 2004-05. His entire quotaamounted to 109,105 litres, of which 21,808 litreshad been allocated from the national reserveunder various measures. As allocations from thenational reserve are not eligible for temporaryleasing, the maximum which the producer isentitled to offer to the 2004-05 scheme is 87,297litres. Accordingly, the permission grantedrelated to this amount.Disadvantaged Area Status.288. Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Agricultureand Food the position regarding thereview of the disadvantaged areas; if there is atimescale when there are likely to be proposalsfrom the European Commission; and if she willmake a statement on the matter. [5593/05]Minister for Agriculture and Food (MaryCoughlan): As part of the suggested 2007-13 ruraldevelopment framework, the European Commissionhas proposed new criteria for less favouredareas. These lay emphasis on soil and climaticconditions. In line with other memberstates, Ireland has highlighted the sensitivity ofthis issue. Ireland has also sought clarification asto the Commission’s intentions.While some clarification on the proposedmethodology for redefining disadvantaged areashas just been received from the EU Commission,that proposed methodology needs detailed assessmentand further clarification before we canrespond fully to it in the course of ongoing negotiations.I shall continue to stress the sensitivityof this issue for Ireland in the course of thosenegotiations.Grant Payments.289. Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister forAgriculture and Food when the single paymententitlements will issue to a person (details
461 Questions— 22 February 2005. Written Answers 462supplied) in County Galway; and if she will makea statement on the matter. [5611/05]Minister for Agriculture and Food (MaryCoughlan): The person named applied for considerationof force majeure/exceptional circumstanceson 5 February 2004.Following examination of the exceptional circumstancesoutlined, my Department decidedthat the reference years 2000, 2001 and 2002 willbe excluded from the calculation of the singlepayment entitlements for the person named andthe entitlements will be based on the referenceyears 1997, 1998 and 1999. A statement of provisionalentitlements reflecting this positionissued to the person named on 1 February 2005.290. Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister forAgriculture and Food when her Department proposesto pay a special restocking grant to a person(details supplied) in County Galway; if herDepartment has approved such a payment to allsheep farmers in similar circumstances; and if shewill make a statement on the matter. [5612/05]Minister for Agriculture and Food (MaryCoughlan): The sheep flock belonging to theflock owner in question was depopulated as aresult of scrapie prior to Christmas 2001. He hasbeen paid compensation on the basis of an agreementreached with my Department. The terms ofthe agreement and the amount of compensationand income loss involved were clearly understoodand accepted by all concerned at the time ofdepopulation.Flock owners depopulated under this firstphase depopulation arrangements were notallowed to restock for a period of two years. Theyreceived compensation for the capital value of thesheep and for income loss for that period. Inaddition, those who restocked in the third year,including the person named, also received compensationfor income loss for that year.The amounts paid to these producers for thecapital value of the animals and for income lossfor the period of three years were generous havingregard to all the circumstances involved. I donot consider that payment of any additionalamounts by way of restocking grants is justifiedin these cases.291. Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister forAgriculture and Food the amount of grantsawarded to a person (details supplied) in CountyClare in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002; ifit is more advantageous to this person to have thereference years calculated on the years 1997, 1998and 1999; and if she will make a statement on thematter. [5613/05]Minister for Agriculture and Food (MaryCoughlan): The person named received the followingpayments under the cattle headagescheme for the years 1997-2000:1997 1904.611998 2034.121999 Nil — Not an applicant2000 Nil — Not an applicantThe person named received the following paymentsunder the sheep headage scheme for theyears 1997-2000:1997 91.421998 Nil — Not an applicant1999 Nil — Not an applicant2000 Nil — Not an applicantThe area based compensatory allowance schemereplaced the cattle-sheep headage schemes in2001 and the person named received the followingpayments under the scheme for the years2001-02:2001 Nil — area aid (100% over declaration penalty)2002 1858.92The payments awarded to the person namedunder the special beef premium scheme for theyears 1997-2002 are:1997 1,300.991998 1,652.571999 Nil — not an applicant2000 Nil — not an applicant2001 Nil — not an applicant2002 Nil — not an applicantThe payments awarded to the person namedunder the suckler cow premium scheme for theyears 1997-2002 are:1997 1,246.391998 1,246.391999 Nil — not an applicant2000 Nil — not an applicant2001 Nil — not an applicant2002 Nil — not an applicantThe payments awarded to the person namedunder the extensification premium scheme for theyears 1997-2002 are:\\\\\
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