Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 379: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if payment has been lodged in the national reserve for a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8174/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named established 16.20 entitlements under the single payment scheme. A single payment application was received on 12 May 2005, declaring zero hectares. Under EU legislation, to draw down payment in respect of standard entitlements, an applicant must declare an eligible hectare to accompany each entitlement. This requirement was set out clearly in the documentation supplied to farmers on a number of occasions. If the person named declares sufficient land on his 2006 single payment application, he will be in a position to claim full entitlements. My Department has no record of receipt of an application form for the national reserve measure of the single payment scheme for the person named.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 380: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the compensation which the farmers in the early retirement scheme will receive in respect of beet quotas they have leased as part of their farm under the scheme; if their benefits will accrue to them or to the farmers who have leased the quote from them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8175/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The sugar reform package agreed in November provides for compensation to beet growers of up to 64% of the reduction in the minimum price for beet. This compensation, which will be paid as part of the single farm payment, will be worth approximately €123 million to Irish beet growers over the next seven years. I announced recently that the reference period for the establishment of the single payment compensation for beet growers was the three-year average of the individual farmers contracted tonnage of beet with Irish Sugar Limited in the years 2001, 2002 and 2004.

Under the single payment scheme, the compensation for sugar beet growers will be established for farmers who grew sugar beet under contract with Irish Sugar Limited during the 2000, 2001 and 2004 reference period. As the European Commission has not adopted the detailed implementing rules for the incorporation of the sugar beet compensation in the single farm payment, it is not possible at this stage to confirm that similar provisions to those applying under the existing single payment scheme will also apply to the sugar beet compensation.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 381: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the way in which she proposes to deal with the compensation payments being awarded to farmers in respect of them being unable to grow beet; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8176/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The agreement on reform of the EU sugar regime provides for compensation to growers for the institutional price reductions. In the event of a decision to cease sugar production, the provisions of the temporary scheme for the restructuring of the sugar industry also come into play. Under this scheme, an application involving factory closure and renunciation of quota can be made for aid in respect of the economic, social and environmental costs of restructuring. The deadline for applications is 31 July 2006 for the first year of the scheme and 31 January for each year thereafter. In Ireland's case, the aid would be worth up to €145 million. At least 10% of the aid is reserved for sugar beet growers and machinery contractors to compensate notably for losses arising from investment in specialised machinery. That proportion may be increased by member states after consultation of interested parties provided that an economically sound balance between the elements of the restructuring plan is ensured. In addition, diversification funds of almost €44 million will also become available for Irish growers in the event that sugar beet production completely ceases in Ireland.

A provision which would have limited eligibility for restructuring funds to growers who had delivered beet in the year preceding the year of quota renunciation was dropped at Ireland's request. Until all the relevant EU legal texts have been adopted, it will not be possible to make definitive implementation arrangements for these compensation payments.