151 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when a decision will be made regarding an application for arable aid from a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [16676/95]

This applicant's 1995 arable aid claim was processed on 9 November 1995 and will be paid shortly. He was paid 1994 arable aid on 17 October 1994.

152 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when an application for arable aid will be approved and paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [16677/95]

The closing date for this submission of the combined area aid applications was 31 March 1995. EU regulations allowed the acceptance of late applications up to 20 April 1995 with a 1 per cent per working day penalty. In the case to which the Deputy is referring, a combined area aid application was lodged in my Department's office in Cork on 28 April 1995. Unfortunately, given that the application was received after the final closing date of 20 April 1995 I regret that no area aid payment can be made under the strict EU regulations governing these schemes.

153 Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry whether he intends extending the equine headage grant scheme to include donkeys in view of the decline of the population of donkeys and the efforts made by him to encourage traditional environmentally friendly farming. [16730/95]

I am not proposing to introduce headage grants on donkeys.