Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 241: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position regarding an application for installation aid (details supplied) in view of a reply to her Department's letter recently submitted. [31176/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The above named person's application under the installation aid scheme has been approved. Payment will be issued shortly by my Department.

Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 242: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and the moneys awarded in 2004 and to date in 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31202/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named submitted two applications under the 2004 special beef premium scheme, in respect of a total of 27 animals. The first application, in respect of 14 animals for first and second age premium, was received on 6 January 2004 and the second application, in respect of 12 animals for bull premium and one for second age, was received on 29 October 2004.

Of the 27 animals in question, all were deemed to represent 0.6 livestock units, equating with a total value of 16.2 livestock units. However, payment of premium was restricted to 9.51 premium rights, the maximum payable based on the forage declared. Therefore, the 60% advance payment of €855.90, which issued on 16 October 2004, was in respect of 9.51 animals.

Under the relevant EU regulations governing the 2004 special beef premium scheme, a stocking density limit of 1.8 livestock units per hectare applied, based on the forage area declared on an applicant's area aid application. The 2004 area aid application of the person named declared a forage area of 37.91 hectares, which gave an entitlement to 68.23 livestock units.

Where an applicant has a milk quota, account must also be taken of the animals required to fill the quota; in accordance with the provisions of the relevant EU regulations this milk quota is converted to livestock units by dividing the quota by the notional average milk yield, unless the applicant is in milk recording, in which case the higher yield figure is used. In this case, the named person held a milk quota of 248,963 litres, equivalent to 62.52 livestock units, that is, milk quota of 248,963 litres, divided by 3,982 litres, the notional average yield. Therefore, the entitlement of the person named under the 2004 special beef premium scheme was restricted to 5.71 livestock units which, in the case of animals each deemed to represent 0.6 livestock units, equates with 9.51 premium rights.

When the position regarding the extent of the breach of the 2004 special beef premium scheme quota became apparent, I raised the difficulty which this created for Ireland with the EU Commissioner. I recognised, however, that negotiations to resolve the matter could be protracted and, therefore, decided that an interim payment should be made to scheme applicants. In the case of the person named, an interim balancing payment of €185.44 issued on 20 April 2005, in respect of the 9.51 animals. Having achieved a positive response from the EU Commissioner, final scheme payments recently began issuing; it is expected that the final payment due to the person named will issue shortly.

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 243: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she has finalised the eligibility criteria for applicants under the national reserve; the appeal mechanism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31216/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The position is that a number of meetings of the single payment advisory committee, comprising representatives from my Department, Teagasc and the farming organisations were held to discuss the rules governing the allocation of the national reserve. The most recent such meeting was held last week and I expect to be in a position to make appropriate decisions shortly.