Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 358: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive the special beef premium payment for 2001 and 2003. [15973/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the 2001 Special Beef Premium Scheme, the person named submitted four applications in respect of a total of thirteen animals. Under the 2003 Special Beef Premium Scheme, the person named submitted one application in respect of one animal. Following investigations, the identification of eight of the thirteen animals applied on under the 2001 Scheme was not confirmed.

The Terms and Conditions of the Special Beef Premium Scheme advise applicants of their obligations with regard to animal Identification and Registration, viz 'having satisfied the specific Scheme requirements, an animal will be classified as "established" (accepted for payment) if (a) is properly tagged, (b) has a passport (card), (c) is registered on the database, (d) is recorded in the Herd Register which must be kept up to date, and (e) is at the location stated on the application.' The Terms and Conditions further define the penalties applicable where breaches of these Identification and Registration requirements are identified: Where an application covers not more than twenty animals, no premium will be payable where over four animals are rejected. On this basis, therefore, the person named is due no payment in respect of the 2001 application. The person named may, however, appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office, stating clearly the basis for the appeal. The application in respect of the one animal under the 2003 Scheme is being processed for payment, which is expected to issue shortly.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 359: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the entitlements of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo can be based on the reference year of 2000 only; and if she will provide a statement of the way in which this person's entitlements were calculated with particular reference to the way in which their beef entitlements were calculated. [15974/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named submitted an application for consideration of his circumstances under the Force Majeure measure of the Single Payment Scheme. Having examined the application it was deemed successful with the year 2001 being excluded for purposes of calculating his entitlements. However, this decision was appealed by the person named to the Single Payment Appeals Committee requesting that the entitlements be based on the 1997 to 1999 period. Having considered the circumstances put forward the Committee recommended that the Single Payment Unit decision should be upheld.

That part of the entitlements established in relation to the beef payments relate, therefore, to the payments made to the person named under the Livestock Premia Schemes during 2000 and 2002. My Department is currently reviewing the establishment of the entitlements in order to ensure that all eligible animals were included in the calculations and will contact the person named on completion of this review.