andMr. Leonard asked the Minister for Agriculture when he will make a decision on the payment of headage grants to those applicants who have land within the disadvantaged areas and outside the disadvantaged areas.

Applications from herd-owners with land both inside and outside the disadvantaged areas require to be specially investigated. The small number of cases involved are being distributed currently to local inspectors with instructions that they be examined and reported on as quickly as possible.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary tell me if there has been a greater delay this year than heretofore?

The position was explained by the Minister in reply to a question last week. State grants have been almost all paid but there are some difficulties in certain cases where the applicants' names did not coincide with the names on the herd lists. For instance, we get an application in the name of the John Callanan but when we look up the list of registered herd owners we find the name of Michael Callanan opposite the herd number. There are about 100 such cases being dealt with.

The Parliamentary Secretary is referring to problem cases. Have there been undue delays in straightforward cases?

No. Payments have been issued by the Department in past weeks to most people and any outstanding payments will be dealt with in the next month or so.

Have all straightforward cases been dealt with?

My information is that they have been paid.

A very big number have not been paid.

Question No. 10 is being treated for written reply.