Vol. 465 No. 8
30 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will report on the delays in the processing of area aid applications and other EU agricultural schemes arising from the industrial dispute with members of the CPSU working in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10602/96]
The CPSU industrial action in my Department meant that the closing date for submission of 1996 area aid applications had to be extended from 30 April 1996 to 15 May 1996, with the agreement of the EU Commission and that all applications received stayed unopened in the special area aid application envelopes in which they were submitted until the termination of the industrial action.
As and from Tuesday of this week, however, those envelopes are being opened and the applications are being processed. Processing of the applications is taking place in accordance with a work plan which is aimed at ensuring that all 1996 livestock and arable aid applications that are dependent on area aid applications are paid within the deadlines set out in the charter of rights for farmers which I put in place last year.
The action had an impact on the operation of the REF scheme in so far as processing of applications at local office level slowed down, but the backlog will be cleared in the next few weeks.
