Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 155: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when payments under the slaughter premium and special beef premium will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary. [17487/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named submitted 12 applications under the 2004 special beef premium scheme, in respect of 174 animals, of which 163 are payable. The 60% advance payments in the amount of €11,424.60 issued on dates between 19 October 2004 and 28 January 2005.

Following computer validation, it was found that four animals had previously been paid or claimed the premium, three animals were ineligible due to age, one animal was registered as a female and three animals had been sold within the retention period. While it will be necessary to correspond with the person named on each of these issues, it is intended to process the applications on the basis of the findings following computer validation, in order to facilitate early payment of the interim balancing payments.

Under the 2004 slaughter premium scheme, 198 eligible animals were slaughtered under the herd number of the person named. The 60% advance payments in the amount of €9,504 issued on dates between 20 October 2004 and 29 January 2005. Balancing payments under both the special beef premium scheme and the slaughter premium scheme will issue shortly.

Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 156: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if consideration will be given to an application by a person (details supplied) in County Cork under the EU single payment national reserve. [17500/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the single payment scheme national reserve under category B which caters for farmers who, between 1 January 2000 and 19 October 2003, made an investment in production capacity in a farming sector for which a direct payment under livestock premia and-or arable aid schemes would have been payable during the reference period 2000 to 2002.

In excess of 17,200 applications have been received under the national reserve at the Department's office in Castlebar and are being processed at present. In view of the number of applications received and the documentation submitted, it will be some time before a decision is reached on whether the person named is entitled to an allocation from the reserve. He will, of course, be notified of the outcome as soon as all applications are processed.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 157: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position regarding an application by a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary under the single payment scheme. [17501/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named, having been notified that the circumstances outlined by him did not satisfy the criteria for force majeure exceptional circumstances under Article 40 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1782/2003, submitted an appeal to the independent single payment appeals committee. The findings of the appeals committee were that the original decision taken by my Department should be upheld.

However, my Department has now obtained additional information regarding the circumstances of this case and is satisfied that force majeure should be applied. As a result, the years 2000 and 2001 will be excluded and the single payment entitlement will be based on the year 2002 only, as this is the most financially beneficial position. The person named was notified of this decision on 23 May 2005. An updated statement of provisional entitlements reflecting this position also issued to the person named on 23 May 2005.

The person named also submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the single payment scheme national reserve under categories B and C. Category B caters for farmers who, between 1 January 2000 and 19 October 2003, made an investment in production capacity in a farming sector for which a direct payment under livestock premia and-or arable aid schemes would have been payable during the reference period 2000 to 2002. Category C caters for farmers who, between 1 January 2000 and 19 October 2003, sold their milk quota into the milk quota restructuring scheme and converted their enterprise to a farming sector for which a direct payment under livestock premia and-or arable aid schemes would have been payable during the reference period 2000 to 2002.

The rules governing the single payment scheme stipulate that an applicant who is found to be eligible under more than one category in the reserve may only receive an allocation of entitlements under whichever category is most beneficial to him or her. In excess of 17,200 applications have been received under the national reserve at the Department's office in Castlebar and are being processed at present. In view of the number of applications received and the documentation submitted, it will be some time before a decision is reached on whether the person named is entitled to an allocation from the reserve. He will, of course, be notified of his eligibility or otherwise as soon as all applications are processed.