Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 February 2013
169. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers that were written to in relation to their 2012 disadvantage payments under the stocking density rule; the number that have been refused a derogation to date, including after appeal, broken down between the three payment categories: less favoured areas, severely disadvantaged areas and mountain areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6975/13]
View answerIn total, my Department wrote to in excess of 10,000 beneficiaries under the 2011 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme whose holdings had not achieved the minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare, as required under the Terms and Conditions of the 2012 Scheme.
In response, my Department received 9,635 applications from farmers seeking a derogation from this requirement. These applications have been fully processed and 7,086 applications were successful.
Those, whose applications were rejected, were informed of their entitlement to appeal their cases to the independently chaired DAS Appeals Committee. Appeals were received from 1,459 applicants, of which my Department was in a position to overturn the original decision on 547 cases, without the need to refer to the DAS Appeals Committee, on the basis of additional information which had not previously been submitted. Of the 849 appeals submitted to date to the Committee, decisions have been taken in respect of 599 cases, of which 192 were allowed, 351 disallowed and 56 requested to submit additional information. Processing remains ongoing.
The additional detail sought concerning the breakdown between the payment categories is currently being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy.
