Billy Timmins
Question:174 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position in relation to a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5281/04]
View answerWednesday, 18 February 2004
Questions (105, 106)
Written answers
As I stated in my reply to the Deputy's question no 242 of 3 February 2004, a compliance check was carried out on the farm of the person named on 30 July 2003 in accordance with the provisions of Council Regulation No. (EC) 3508/92 as amended by Council Regulation (EC) No. 1593/2000. This compliance check revealed that the herd owner had claimed forage area in 2002 in respect of 6.02 hectares of forestry for which he was not eligible to claim area aid as he was already in receipt of the afforestation premium for this land.
The area aid of the person named for 2002 has had to be revised to exclude this land and to apply the appropriate area aid penalty of double the difference between the area found and the claimed area. The net effect of the revision has been that a forage area of 25.09 hectares has been determined for payment purposes for 2002. This has resulted in an overpayment of €129.05 for 2002. My Department will be in further contact with the person named concerning the recovery of this amount.
I should point out that the area of 37.44 hectares in 2002 to which the Deputy refers is an incorrect forage area as it includes forestry area planted by the person named. A further downward revision was therefore required to reflect the true position.
I should point out that in 2003, the person named reduced the area pre-printed on his 2003 area aid application from 37.44 hectares to 34.91 hectares to reflect this position. Furthermore, as this land parcel was afforested in 1998, my Department is examining area aid applications submitted by the person named in the years prior to 2002 and will be in contact with the person named in this regard.
Billy Timmins
Question:175 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position in relation to an application from a person (details supplied) in County Wexford who applied for grant aid under the regional programme 2002-2006 for investment aid for the potato sector; if this grant can be awarded as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5283/04]
View answerThis round of the scheme of investment aid for the potato sector ran for the period January 2001 to December 2002. The scheme received some 140 applications. Some 38 applicants were approved for grants. The balance of applicants were informed that they were unsuccessful with their applications.
The applicant referred to was not approved for a grant under the round 3 of the scheme as all necessary documentation was not supplied with his application and he was notified to that effect in August 2001. Documentation — planning permission — was received from the applicant at a later date.
It was not possible to consider any applications since that time.