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Grant Payments.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2006

Tuesday, 4 July 2006

Questions (523, 524, 525, 526)

Liam Aylward

Question:

536 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will review the application for single payment national reserve 2005 for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny in view of the additional information submitted to her Department. [26213/06]

View answer

Written answers

The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the Single Payments Scheme National Reserve under Category B and Category C.

Category B caters for farmers who, between 1 January 2000 and 19 October 2003, made an investment in production capacity in a farming sector for which a direct payment under Livestock Premia and/or Arable Aid schemes would have been payable during the reference period 2000-2002. Investments can include purchase or long term lease of land, purchase of suckler and/or ewe quota or other investments.

Category C caters for farmers who sold their milk quota into a re-structuring scheme between 1 January 2000 and 19 October 2003 and who converted to a farming sector for which a direct payment under the Livestock and/or Arable Aid Schemes would have been payable in respect of the years 2000 to 2002.

It should be noted that the rules governing the Single Payment Scheme stipulate that an applicant who is found to be eligible under more than one category in the Reserve may only receive an allocation of entitlements under whichever category is most beneficial.

My Department requested additional information from the applicant, but there is no record of this information having been received in my Department. On receipt of the additional information requested this case will be examined and a formal letter setting out my Department's decision will issue to the person named.

If he is dissatisfied with my Department's decision in relation to the National Reserve, he then has the opportunity to appeal this decision to the Independent Payment Appeals Committee. An appeals application form is available from any of my Department's offices or on the Department website at www.agriculture.gov.ie.

John Perry

Question:

537 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she will address the concerns of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26264/06]

View answer

An official of my Department has been in direct contact with the person named, following which the necessary arrangements for the administrative transfer of the entitlements, established by the parents of the person named, have been completed. Full payment under the 2005 Single Payment Scheme will issue to the person named in the coming days.

In reply to an earlier Parliamentary Question, I indicated that the person named also submitted an application under the Force Majeure/Exceptional Circumstances measure of the Single Payment Scheme. Having processed this application, the person named was advised by my Department on 4 July 2005 that the application was unsuccessful. However, I indicated that this case is being included with those cases currently being reviewed in the context of the effect of participation in agri-environmental measures on the reduction on stocking levels. The person named will be notified of the outcome of this review in due course.

While I appreciate that some participants in the Single Payment Scheme may be frustrated from time to time with the array of measures, forms and supporting documentation required under the Scheme, my hope is that this frustration will be short-lived for those concerned. An immense effort, on the part of my officials and I, has gone into ensuring that this Scheme has become the success it has. Ireland was the first Member State to opt for full decoupling and did so from the earliest possible date, 1 January 2005. The first date on which payments under the 2005 Scheme could be made was 1 December 2005 and during the first ten days of that month alone payments in excess of €1 billion issued to Scheme applicants. This was a tremendous achievement, particularly given that substantial staff resources continued to be involved in the finalisation of the coupled Livestock Schemes, which the Single Payment Scheme replaced. Similarly, substantial staff resources were assigned to dealing with the many thousands of applications received under the various associated measures including Force Majeure, New Entrant, Inheritance, and National Reserve. While my sympathy goes to anyone who has experienced delays or frustration with the processing of their applications under any of these measures, I would point to the very large success of the Scheme to date and assure those individuals that every effort is being made to finalise any outstanding cases without any further undue delay.

Paul Connaughton

Question:

538 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway has had a 10 per cent penalty imposed on the 2005 REP scheme payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26265/06]

View answer

Following an inspection it was discovered that lime had not been spread as required, and a penalty of 10% was applied. Following an unsuccessful local appeal, the person named was advised in June 2006 of his right to make a further appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office.

Denis Naughten

Question:

539 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the grants which are available to marts to ensure that they keep facilities to an acceptable standard; if marts are eligible for grants under the farm waste management scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26361/06]

View answer

Although livestock marts provide a valuable service to farmers around the country, it is the responsibility of individual marts to comply with the conditions of the licences issued under the Livestock Marts Act 1967 and other statutory requirements in relation to provision and maintenance of mart structures and facilities.

The capital investment measure under the National Development Plan 2000-2006 provided for funding on a competitive basis to improve marketing and processing of agricultural products in the horticulture, potatoes, eggs, grain and livestock marketing and processing sectors. A number of marts received funding under this heading during that period. Funding under the measure has been committed and no further general call is planned this year.

Marts are not eligible for grants under the farm waste management scheme.

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