Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 January 2005
683 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason the 6% reduction in the SFP provisional entitlement does not correspond with a 6% reduction in land mass; if she will review this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2109/05]
View answerThe reductions reflected in the single payment provisional entitlements are those provided for in the European Council Regulation 1782/2003, which introduced the single payment scheme. There is no provision in the regulations to allow a corresponding reduction in land mass.
However, there are provisions to allow farmers to consolidate their entitlements on fewer hectares than they declared on average during the reference period. These provisions may be applied to the following categories of farmers: farmers who have afforested some of their land since the beginning of the reference period; farmers who have disposed of land to a public authority for non-agricultural use; and farmers who had land leased-rented in during the reference period but the lease-rental agreement has since expired.
The concessions relating to consolidating or stacking entitlements cannot be applied to any farmer who declares fewer hectares than entitlements because s/he disposed of land by way of sale or lease other than sale of land to a public authority for non-agricultural use.
