Written Answers Nos. 169-178
169. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a single farm payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; when they may expect payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51961/12]
View answerThe person named is an applicant under the 2012 Single Payment Scheme; the advance payment issued on 15 November.
170. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara cén uair a íocfar deontas faoi Scéim na Limistéar faoi Mhíbhuntáiste (Disadvantage Area Scheme), 2012 d’fheilmeoir (sonraí leis seo) agus a ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina dtaobh. [51964/12]
View answerFuarthas iarratas faoi Scéim na Limistéar faoi Mhíbhuntáiste 2012 ón duine ainmnithe an 9 Bealtaine 2012. Níl aon íocaíocht eisithe fós, áfach, mar nach gcomhlíonann gabháltas an té ainmnithe íos-cheanglais dlús-stoic na Scéime. A luaithe is a dheimhneofar go bhfuil an gabháltas ag comhlíonadh na gceanglas seo cuirfear an cás chun cinn le súil is íocaíocht a dhéanamh chomh luath agus is féidir ina dhiaidh sin.
171. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a disadvantaged area payment will be paid in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [51972/12]
View answerAn application under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 27 April 2012. However, payment has not yet issued as, at this stage, the holding concerned has not yet satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements. Immediately this can be confirmed, the case will be further processed with a view to payment at the earliest possible date thereafter.
172. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider increasing the age limit from 18 to 24 months in respect of heifers requiring a brucellosis pre-movement test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52021/12]
View answerIreland is officially free of Brucellosis since 2009 (our last case was in 2006). My Department has scaled down the brucellosis testing programme since then, as follows: the age threshold for annual round testing has been increased from 12 to 24 months; only 20% of dairy herds and 50% of non-dairy herds are required to be tested this year for the round test; the validity period of the pre-movement test has been increased from 30 days to 60 days; the age-limit for the pre-movement test for female animals has been increased from 12 to 18 months and, in view of the lower risk attached to their movement, to 24 months for bulls.
All of the above changes have reduced the number of animals to be tested from 4.7m in 2008 to 1.8m this year, with significant benefits to farmers in terms of reduced testing costs, estimated at approximately €10m per annum. I will be taking a decision shortly about the testing arrangements for 2013 and the age limit for the pre-movement test will be considered in this context. However, I will continue to adopt a cautious approach in view of the fact that Brucellosis is still present in Northern Ireland.
173. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a headage paymemt will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52023/12]
View answerAn application under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 4 May 2012. However, payment has not yet issued as, at this stage, the holding concerned has not yet satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements. Immediately this can be confirmed, the case will be further processed with a view to payment at the earliest possible date thereafter.
174. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure that no genuine farmers are excluded under the unfair retrospective 0.3u/ha stocking rate criteria in respect of the disadvantaged area scheme and that the appeals system works effectively and that no payments are held up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52024/12]
View answerWhen, for budgetary reasons, it became necessary to make changes to the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, I ensured that the available resources were targeted at those who best met the overall objectives of the Scheme.
However, at the same time, I ensured that provision would be made for those farmers, adversely affected by the revised stocking density requirement, to apply for derogation on the basis of specific verifiable reasons. Furthermore, provision has also been made for an independent appeals process, in order that those, whose applications are not successful, may be afforded the opportunity to appeal my Department’s decision. To this end, an independently chaired DAS Appeals Committee has been constituted and has recently commenced work. Every effort is being made to clear outstanding cases as quickly as possible.
175. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications that have been approved, refused, under consideration or appeal in respect of the disadvantaged area scheme in 2012; the amounts of funding involved; the figures for County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52030/12]
View answer176. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications that have been approved, refused, under consideration or appeal in respect of the single farm payment scheme in 2012; the amounts of funding involved; the figures for County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52031/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 175 and 176 together.
To date, under the 2012 Single Payment and Disadvantaged Areas Schemes, in national terms, payments amounting to €603 million and €191 million have issued to 119,164 and 85,972 farmers respectively. With regard to County Kerry, the equivalent data are €29m and €16m, paid to 7,377 and 6,445 farmers.
As cases are being actively processed on an ongoing basis (with payments issuing on a twice-weekly basis, as individual cases are cleared), it is not possible, within the available timescale, to provide the further breakdown requested. This will be provided to the Deputy as soon as possible.
177. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding an appeal on stocking density in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52043/12]
View answerThe person named, who is an applicant under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, applied under the derogation arrangements which relate to the 2011 stocking density. This application has been successful and the applicant was advised of this on 16 November.
However, payment has not yet issued as, at this stage, the holding of the person named has not yet satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements for 2012. Immediately the holding concerned is confirmed as having met these requirements, the case will be further processed with a view to payment at the earliest possible date thereafter.
178. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a further response will issue in respect of correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52047/12]
View answerWhile the person named applied for derogation under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas scheme, the application was unsuccessful. The applicant was notified of this decision in writing on 13 November and advised of the right of appeal to the recently established independent DAS Appeals Committee.
