Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 475: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason the single payment awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Galway is so low in view of the fact that he had 32,000 gallons milk quota in 2000 and drew headage grants in 2001 and 2002; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5174/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The single payment scheme is applicable to farmers who actively farmed during all or any of the three reference years 2000, 2001 and 2002 and who were paid livestock premia and/or arable aid payments in one or more of those years. The gross single payment is based on the average number of animals and/or the average number of hectares, in the case of arable aid, on which payments were made in the three reference years.

The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the single payments scheme national reserve under categories C and D.

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/or arable aid schemes would have been payable during the reference period 2000 to 2002.

Category D caters for farmers who commenced farming after 31 December 2002 or who commenced farming in 2002 but who received no direct payments in respect of that scheme year.

It should be noted that 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.

Over 23,000 applications for an allocation of entitlements from the national reserve were received when account is taken of farmers who applied under more than one category. Processing of these applications is continuing and the intention is to make allocations to successful applicants at the earliest opportunity.

My Department will be in touch with individual applicants as soon as his applications are fully processed when formal letters setting out my Department's decision will be issued.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 476: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when single farm payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5184/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named submitted an application for consideration in respect of the inheritance measure of the single payment scheme. Following processing of his application he was notified that his application was successful and payment will issue shortly.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 477: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the dairy premium payment will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [5218/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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An application under the single payment scheme was received from the person named on 16 May 2005. Payment of €4,964.12 issued on 1 December 2005 and payment of the decoupled dairy premium element of €2,668.63 will issue shortly.