asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of farmers in the Glenasmole area of County Wicklow who have not yet been paid their 1980 entitlement under the sheep headage payments scheme; the reason for the delay; and when payment will be made.

Eight flockowners who presented sheep at Glenasmole under the 1980 sheep headage scheme have yet to be paid their grants. Five of these will be paid shortly. No progress can be made with the remaining three cases until the flockowners concerned furnish replies to queries which have been issued to them.

Why is there such a delay in the payment of these grants, not just in the counties referred to in the question but all over the country?

There would be no delay in processing applications where the information required by the Department is submitted. The delay inevitably would appear to occur when queries are not replied to and matters of that kind. The cases outstanding here in this question refer almost exclusively to instances where unsatisfactory information was given in answering queries from the Department.

17.