The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the 2005 Single Payments Scheme National Reserve under categories B and D. 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 applied under Category B in relation to investment involving land that was leased in 2003 and was deemed successful under this category. He was given an allocation of 32.32 entitlements based on the net number of hectares of leased land declared on his 2005 Single Payment Scheme application form. The value of the entitlements allocated is equal to the average value of entitlements in the District Electoral Division associated with the herdnumber of the person concerned.
The person named also applied under Category B in relation to the purchase of suckler cow and ewe quota and was deemed unsuccessful under these categories as he did not purchase quota in any of the specified years. Category D caters for farmers who inherited or purchased land and who commenced farming after 31 December 2002 or who commenced farming in 2002 but who received no direct payments in respect of that scheme year. The person named was deemed unsuccessful under this category as leased land is not eligible under this category.
The person named appealed my Department's decision. The appeal was forwarded to the Independent Single Payments Appeals Committee who have completed their reviews and upheld my Department's decision. A formal letter outlining the decision of the Committee has issued to the person named.
The person named also submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the 2006 Single Payment Scheme National Reserve under Category B. Category B in the 2006 National Reserve caters for farmers who commenced farming after 31 December, 2002 or who commenced farming in 2002 but who received no direct payments in respect of that scheme year.
The position is that processing of the 2006 National Reserve applications will commence shortly and the intention is to make allocations to successful applicants at the earliest opportunity. A formal letter outlining my Department's decision on the 2006 National Reserve will issue to the person named as soon as his application has been processed.