Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 234: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly will be supplied with a herd number; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31082/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The position is that the person named has been registered as herdkeeper for all purposes related to the herd since the end of August 2005, but notification did not issue to him because of a difficulty regarding registration as herdowner for the purposes of all payments.

The herdkeeper or keeper is any natural or legal person responsible for animals, whether on a permanent or on a temporary basis, including during transportation. The keeper role is classified as a non-financial role and relates to the ordinary day to day operation of the herd. The"herdowner" is the nominated company or entity or persons associated with the herd number to whom all payments are made. In this particular case three names were listed on the ER1.1 form as having an interest in the herd for payment purposes. They were the person named in the question, his wife and his mother-in-law. There is a need for some clarification as to the entitlements of the person named for future payments. For this purpose, an official from the district veterinary office in Tullamore will visit the person named in the next few days to clarify the position regarding the herd owner registration.