Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 327: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the value on a county basis of the outstanding moneys under the SBP; the number of herd owners involved in each county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23306/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Work is ongoing on the processing of applications lodged under the 2004 special beef premium scheme, with a view to establishing definitively the extent of the quota overshoot at an early date. This involves computer processing and, where errors or inconsistencies are highlighted in such validation, those cases require individual attention. Given the volumes of applications involved, it will, therefore, take further time to establish the definitive level of quota overshoot because ineligible animals and animals applied on in excess of each applicant's stocking density limit of 1.8 livestock units per hectare will have to be excluded from the overshoot calculation. All farmers with query and rejected animals will have to be written to by my Department and given an opportunity to submit observations before a final decision in their cases.

It is not possible, therefore, at this stage to put a value on residual payments due under the 2004 special beef premium scheme in advance of the definitive position being established regarding the extent to which the national quota has been exceeded.

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 328: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will reconsider the payment of a bull premium applied for on 4 November 2005 in view of the special circumstances of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [23307/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The herd owner applied for four animals under the special beef premium scheme on 4 November 2004. On 8 December 2004, he received a letter with his cards, informing him that there was no record of these animals on the CMMS database. On 15 April 2005 a letter issued to the herd owner stating that the animals in question were being rejected because they were not updated to the CMMS database at the time of application. On 16 June 2005, another letter issued to the named person confirming that the animals had been rejected.

Paragraph 11 of the terms and conditions of the 2004 special beef premium states "when completing each application the producer must ensure he or she is claiming premium on eligible animals only, by checking that when lodging the application form, each animal submitted for premium, is correctly recorded on the CMMS database". My Department is not aware of the special circumstances of the applicant mentioned by the Deputy. If the herd owner submits details of the particular circumstances in question my Department will, of course, review this case.