195 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he has granted aid to the Clare Marketing Board; and when the aid was granted. [9978/02]

No grant aid has been paid by my Department to the Clare marketing board in respect of the sale of horses.

196 Mr. T. Hayes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a 2001 area aid payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9979/02]

The person named submitted an incomplete area aid application for 2001 and my Department has been in contact with him with a view to his supplying additional information. Until this matter is resolved no area aid payments can issue. The animal based headage schemes have been replaced in 2001 by the area-based compensatory allowance scheme. A condition of the new scheme is that applicants must meet a minimum stocking level of 0.15 livestock units per forage hectare, but according to my Department's records, the stocking density of the holding does not meet the minimum stocking density. My Department will be in contact with the person named shortly with a view to establishing the type of farming activity being pursued. A decision on entitlement to area-based compensatory allowance will then be made.