Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 514: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will ensure that all payments due to a person, details supplied, in County Cork will be awarded immediately. [7028/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Under EU legislation, in order to draw down his or her full single payment, an applicant must declare an eligible hectare to accompany each entitlement. This requirement was set out clearly in the documentation supplied to farmers. While the person named had established 12.58 entitlements during the reference period, the application received from him on 16 May 2005 declared a total of 7.88 eligible hectares. The payment, which issued to the person named on 10 February 2006, therefore, represented the full sum due, based on the application lodged. If the person named declares sufficient land on his 2006 single payment application, he will be in a position to claim full payments under both schemes. Payment under the disadvantaged areas scheme, which issued to the person named on 12 February 2006, represented the full amount due to him under that scheme.

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 515: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will review the supports to farmers for growing miscanthus grass in view of the diverse nature of its use and is environmentally friendly. [7047/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Support to farmers for growing crops may only be granted in accordance with EU regulations. Under the energy crops scheme, introduced by Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003, crops such as miscanthus may qualify for aid of €45 per hectare provided that they are intended primarily for use in the production of biofuels and electric and thermal energy produced from biomass. The aid is granted in respect of areas where production is covered by a contract between the farmer and a processor, except in the case of processing undertaken by the farmer on his or her holding. The aid is payable in addition to the single payment. In Ireland, the only crop sown under this scheme in 2005 was oilseed rape. Miscanthus is among the non-food crops that may be grown on setaside land to activate setaside entitlements under the single payment scheme. As part of the EU strategy for biofuels, it is intended to review the operation of the energy crops scheme during the coming year and in that context, I will be seeking to have the scheme made more attractive for farmers. Teagasc is currently conducting research into the potential use of miscanthus and other arable crops and residues as heating fuels.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 516: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when an application for transfer of benefits applied for by a person, details supplied, in County Tipperary will be finalised. [7048/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The father of the person named applied under the single payment scheme in May 2005. My Department subsequently received an application to have the entitlements transferred by gift in November 2005. However, this application was not processed by 1 December 2005 when payment issued to the father. Arrangements will now be made to have the herd number and single payment entitlements transferred to the person named.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 517: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when full payment will issue to a person, details supplied, in County Tipperary who has submitted all details as requested under the single payment scheme. [7049/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named has 64.20 single payment entitlements. An eligible hectare of land must be declared for every entitlement held to receive maximum payment. The person named declared 36.98 hectares of eligible land on his 2005 single payment application and was paid on 36.98 entitlements.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 518: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when payment will issue to a person, details supplied, in County Tipperary under the single payment scheme. [7050/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named submitted an application under the single payment scheme on 06 May 2005. The ownership details of the herd number changed on 14 February 2002. The majority of the entitlements were established in the name of the previous owner. A transfer of entitlements form was received in my Department on 22 December 2005. The entitlements have been transferred to the person named and a supplementary payment will issue to the person named shortly.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 519: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food further to Parliamentary Question No. 464 of 14 February 2006 if a person, details supplied, in County Wexford can appeal the decision. [7051/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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As previously indicated, in line with the EU regulations governing the livestock premia schemes, the person named was restricted to payment in respect of 45.88 livestock units under the 2002 livestock schemes, on the basis of his area aid application declaring 24.15 forage hectares.

However, if the person named considers that there is information of which my Department was not aware, and which would have had a bearing on the calculation of his stocking density, he should submit an appeal in writing outlining clearly the basis of his appeal. His appeal will be assessed by the single payments appeals committee and he will be informed in writing of the outcome of the appeal in due course.