The person named claimed a total of 9.48 hectares on his 2000 area aid application. When his application details were entered on the Department's electronic database one parcel overlapped with that of another herdowner and one other parcel was overclaimed. An area of 7.78 hectares was determined which is a difference of 1.94 hectares or 21.85%. Under article 9 of EU Regulation 3887/92 when the difference is over 20%, a 100% penalty must be applied in respect of the 2000 beef premium and sheep headage schemes.
Payments totalling £1,437.42 under the 2000 ewe premium/rural world premium, special beef premium, slaughter premium and sheep headage schemes had issued prior to the area aid over declaration coming to light. As the person named had an entitlement to his ewe premium/rural world premium of £493.85 and slaughter premium of £68.04 only, the difference of £875.53 must be recovered. To date a sum of £786.86 has been recovered from entitlements under the various 2001 schemes leaving a balance of £88.67 to be recovered. My Department will write to the person named setting out the position in detail.