Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 28 Mar 2002

Vol. 551 No. 4

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Ulick Burke

Question:

96 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason for the delay in a REP scheme payment to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this is due since May 2000; when the amount due will be paid; if he will include interest outstanding on this grant since this time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10684/02]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

The original REPS plan received from the person named in April 1995 did not make application for additional payment under supplementary measure 1; neither did the application for second year payment received on 10 July 1996. On 2 July 1997 an amended plan was received with the third year payment application. It identified some of the lands as being within a national heritage area and made application for the additional payment under supplementary measure 1. In November 1997 the person named was paid on supplementary measure 1 with full retrospection for the first two years of her participation in REPS.

This participant's file was examined in the course of an audit, and a query was raised about the appropriateness of the retrospective payment. The case was reviewed and it was decided that the retrospective payment should not have been made and must be recovered. The participant was advised of this decision on 9 May 2001 and she was told that my Department proposed to recover the amount in question from her final REPS payment, the application for which was received on 30 June 2000.

Michael Ring

Question:

97 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive an area based payment for 2001. [10700/02]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

As stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 159 of 7 March 2002, the person named included land in his 2001 area aid application to which he was not entitled. He was subsequently issued with maps in order to afford him an opportunity to clarify what land he was entitled to claim for area aid.

He has since returned the maps to the area aid unit outlining his land. Examination of the maps submitted shows that he was entitled to claim 14.39 hectares as his forage area. He had originally claimed 18.06 hectares for 2001. Therefore, an overclaim of 25.5% has arisen. Since there is more than a 20% difference between the area claimed and the area determined as eligible, EU regulations require that a 100% penalty must be applied and no area linked payments can be made to the applicant for 2001 beyond the 15LU maximum permitted in the absence of an area aid application.