Vol. 536 No. 3
112 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the penalties in place if farmers are found to have made false claims under the EU ewe premium scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14059/01]
Under the ewe premium scheme, sheep farmers are paid a premium for maintaining a flock of ewes. In order to be paid, producers must hold a quota right for each ewe on which premium is claimed. A farmer may not be paid on more than the allocated quota. The ewes applied on must be in the ownership and possession of the applicant at the time of application and must be maintained at a specified location for a period of 100 days from the closing date for receipt of applications. All applications are subjected to administrative and on-farm controls as required under EU regulations. A minimum of 10% of applications are selected for on-farm inspection each year and these cases are selected using risk analysis. Up to 70% of all on-farm inspections are unannounced. However, in mountain commonage areas, a maximum of 48 hours notice is given as provided for in EU regulations because of the difficulties in assembling sheep for inspection in these areas.
Producers not selected for on-farm inspection are asked each year to confirm the number of sheep on their holding towards the end of the retention period as well as details of any sheep lost or disposed of since application. All of the controls, both administrative and on-the-spot are carried out within the retention period. Under EU regulations, penalties are applied where it is found that the number of sheep applied on are not maintained for the retention period. There is a sliding penalty scale but if the difference between the number of ewes declared or the quota held, whichever is lesser, and the number found exceeds 20% of the number found no premium is payable for that year. Applicants who are found to have made a false declaration through serious negligence are excluded from the scheme for that year. Applicants who are found to have made a false declaration intentionally are excluded from the scheme for that year and the following year.
Question No. 113 answered with Question No. 109.
