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Grant Payments.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 November 2004

Thursday, 4 November 2004

Questions (162)

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

159 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will review the decision with respect to a REP scheme payment in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27668/04]

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Written answers

Farmers in the rural environment protection scheme undertake a five-year contract, which may be terminated only in limited and specified exceptional circumstances which are laid down in the scheme. Under the EU regulations governing REPS, a participant must make an application for each annual payment. Failure to do so means the contract must be terminated and all payments recovered, unless exceptional circumstances apply.

In the case in question, my Department wrote to the person named on 13 September 2001, advising him that he had to lodge his third year payment application form by 31 October 2001. As he failed to do so, my Department had no option but to terminate his participation in the scheme and seek to recover all the payments he had received. The person named has not previously asked my Department to take the state of his health into account. If appropriate medical evidence is now put forward, the case will be reviewed.

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