Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 13 Dec 1995

Vol. 459 No. 7

Written Answers. - Area Aid.

Michael Creed

Question:

147 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he accepts that, in the case of an area aid application made by a person (details supplied) in County Cork, a mistake was made in his Department when transferring 1993 information onto the 1994 area aid application and that this 1994 application form was presented to the applicant as a repeat of the 1993 application form which the applicant subsequently endorsed and that this Departmental error is now prohibiting this person from an extensification premium for each of the years 1994 and 1995; and if he will have arrangements made to rectify the error and pay the premium. [18884/95]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

The person named declared 66.40 acres on her 1993 area aid application. In 1994 she was sent a blank area aid application form and she declared a slightly lower figure of 64.49 acres on that application. My Department did not transfer any 1993 details onto her 1994 application. She completed the application herself and in doing so declared a lower acreage than in 1993.

When the person named was sent her 1995 area aid application with the 1994 details pre-printed thereon she was invited to return it with any changes shown thereon if such were warranted or unchanged if no changes had taken place between 1994 and 1995. She returned it to my Department unchanged.

As the period for making justified changes in 1995 area aid applications expired on 15 May 1995 last and as the person named did not notify my Department of any such change in her 1995 area aid details by that date, I regret that it is no possible now under the relevant EU regulations to allow the 1994 or 1995 areas declared to be changed by that person or to authorise any lesser area to be used for the purpose of paying 1994 or 1995 extensification premium.