Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 144: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position concerning an application for extra suckler cow quota under force majeure for a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [17805/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person named submitted an application, on 06 February 2004, for consideration of her circumstances under the Force Majeure/Exceptional Circumstances measure of the Single Payment Scheme. Having assessed the application, the Single Payment Entitlements Unit informed the person named that her application could not be accepted as she did not fulfil the Force Majeure criteria laid down in Article 40 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003. The person named was advised to submit an application under the National Reserve measure of the Single Payment Scheme.

The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the Single Payment Scheme National Reserve under Category B. Category B caters for farmers who, between 1 January 2000 and 19 October 2003, made an investment in production capacity in a farming sector for which a direct payment under Livestock Premia and/or Arable Aid schemes would have been payable during the reference period 2000-2002. Investments can include purchase or long-term lease of land, purchase of suckler and/or ewe quota or other investments.

The person named has been deemed successful under Category B of the reserve on the basis of an investment in suckler cow quota during the reference period. My Department has issued a formal letter setting out the details of the allocation.

If the person named is dissatisfied with my Department's decision she has the opportunity to appeal the decision to the Independent Appeals Committee. An appeals application is available from any of my Department's offices or on the Department website at www.agriculture.gov.ie