Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I assure the Deputy that the Department has no interest in withholding payment to any farmer, but there are issues regarding eligibility. Under areas of natural constraint, ANC, payments, for example, it may be the case that farmers might meet the eligibility requirements in the latter days of December, and they have the latitude to do that in respect of matters such as stocking density. That is why in 2016 we paid €15 million in ANC payments for 2015. I am sure the Deputy is not suggesting that when somebody meets the criteria for eligibility in the latter days of the year they should not be paid. The scheme does not lend itself to 1 January and 31 December deadlines, so we operate with some latitude at either end.

I will give the figures for the beef data genomics programme. Payments under that programme are calculated on the basis of the number of calved cows in 2014 and eligible hectares of forage land declared under the 2014 single payment application. Payments amounting to €44 million have now been made to almost 24,000 farmers, of which €29 million was paid to almost 16,000 farmers in December 2015. Payments in respect of the 2016 scheme will commence in December. There is an allocation of €52 million and it is expected to spend all of that allocation.

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