Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 July 2012
659 Deputy John O’Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their forestry grant payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34730/12]
View answerThe contract listed for the person named was under the Reconstitution Scheme which provides for payment of a grant payable in two instalments, the first payable on satisfactory completion of the planting amounting to 75% of the grant due with the balance payable after four years. The first grant was paid in April 2011 to the applicants registered forester in accordance with a mandate instruction provided by the applicant with the second due four years later. There are no outstanding payments due to the person named in respect of this contract.
However, the reconstitution contract listed was in respect of the client's plantation under his main afforestation contract; the plantation having been damaged by fire in 2009. Under the main contract, the 2nd instalment grant and one annual forestry premium are outstanding. The outstanding premium can only be paid after the 2nd instalment grant has been paid. The application for the grant (Form 3) was received on 10th July 2012 and this has not been fully processed yet. On the Form 3, the applicant’s forestry company declared that there is poor growth with trees in one of the plots; that plot equals about 20% of the plantation area. On this basis, an inspection will be undertaken by the Forest Service to ensure that the plantation is up to the standard required under the scheme. Payments cannot be made until the plantation has been deemed up to the required standard. It is expected that the inspection will be carried out by the Forest Service in the coming weeks.
