Written Answers Nos. 161 - 168
161. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an agri-environment options scheme 2 application will be reviewed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7476/13]
View answerThe person named was approved for participation in the 2011 Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from the 1st September 2011 and full payment totalling €338.07 issued in respect of 2011.
Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. Payments in respect of the 2012 Scheme year are subject to a similar administrative checking process which includes verification of capital investment actions through checks on receipts submitted. During this checking process it was found that two of the actions selected by the person named were not delivered in accordance with the scheme requirements and terms of the approval for participation in the scheme. As a result of this the minimum requirements set out in the scheme Terms and Conditions have not been met. A letter will shortly issue to the person named informing him that he is ineligible for the scheme and notifying him of his right to appeal.
162. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a 2012 REP scheme four payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7520/13]
View answerThe person named commenced REPS 4 in June 2008 and received payments for the first 4 years of their contract.
REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. The process is nearing completion in this case and I expect payment to issue shortly.
163. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if additional entitlements will be provided to a new entrant into farming (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7522/13]
View answerThe National Reserve Scheme caters for new entrants to farming. In order to qualify for entitlements from the National Reserve applicants must have a herd number or have applied to their local District Veterinary office for a herd number prior to closing date of the Single payment application. In addition applicants must have submitted an application under the current Single payment scheme providing details of the number of eligible hectares farmed. Applicants are required to meet certain criteria, which varies through the scheme years, with regard to income limits and educational qualifications. Under the 2012 National Reserve applicant’s must have commenced farming after 17th May, 2010. Any off-farm income cannot exceed €30,000 and total income, including farm income, cannot exceed €40,000. Applicants must have obtained a FETAC Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Agriculture or its equivalent. The green certificate in farming is regarded as equivalent for this purpose. The closing date for receipt of applications was 15th May, 2012. There is no record of an application having been received from the person named.
There has been a National Reserve Scheme since the introduction of the new CAP regime in 2005. Should there be a 2013 National Reserve scheme it will be announced in March as has been the case for the previous Schemes. Should the person named wish to apply application forms will be available on the Departments website www.agriculture.ie following the introduction of this scheme.
164. Deputy Tom Hayes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary received a reduced payment under REP scheme 4; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7524/13]
View answerPayment under agri-environment schemes are made to compensate for income forgone and additional costs incurred by the scheme participants based on the type of commitments undertaken. In addition, an additional payment of up to 20% may be paid, where justified, based on “transaction costs” which are the costs incurred by participants in engaging with the scheme. Traditionally, this additional payment has been paid under REPS.
Given the on-going difficulties in the public finances and budgetary constraints on my Department, I have had no option but to make difficult decisions in the allocation of the funding available to many competing demands. In finalising my Department’s Estimates for 2012, I announced a 10% reduction in payments under REPS 4 from 2012 onwards. I decided that the reduction would be implemented by way of a cut to the transaction cost of participating farmers of from €28.03 to €5.60 on each hectare on which the a transaction cost was paid.
The 2012 payment of the person named was adjusted accordingly. This resulted in a 2012 REPS 4 payment totalling €5,211.52, which issued to the person named in January 2013. Because of the particular circumstances of the person named, this represents a 7.9% reduction when compared to the 2011 payment which totalled €5,660.12.
165. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment for REP scheme will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7532/13]
View answerThe person mentioned commenced REPS 4 February 2009 and received payments for the first three years of their contract.
REPS 4 is a measure under the 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. During the course of the administrative checks an issue was identified which required the submission of an amended agri-environmental plan. This plan was received in my Department on 7 January 2013 in the name of the son of the person named. Under the terms and conditions governing REPS 4 all “Change of Ownership” cases must be investigated before any payments can issue. The file is currently being examined with the intention of an early resolution and payment in respect of 2012.
166. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision has been made on a appeal to the disadvantaged area scheme appeals committee in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7535/13]
View answerUnder 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, there are two criteria to be satisfied in relation to horses. First, the holding itself must meet the definition of an Equine Breeding Enterprise and second, horses, in order to be taken into account for stocking density purposes, must be aged one to five years and, where older, must be a breeding mare for the purposes of the Scheme.
While the person named submitted three equine passports to my Department, as none was in respect of a breeding mare that foaled in either 20099,2010 or 2011, the scheme criteria have not been met. Accordingly, no payment is due under the 2012 Scheme. The applicant was advised of the position by letter dated 16 November 2012.
167. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the concerns about EU plans to publish individual farmers' Common Agricultural Policy details, including their addresses, on a website that could potentially be used by criminals. [7584/13]
View answerThe European Commission has proposed legislation on the publication of data on CAP beneficiaries. I am aware of the farmers’ concerns in relation to the proposals. Detailed data on payments to CAP beneficiaries was published prior to November 2010 when the European Court of Justice found that aspects of the legislation were invalid having regard to an individual’s right to privacy and protection of personal data. The new proposal aims to address the deficiencies identified in the Court’s judgement. The European Commission’s justification for the proposed measures is based on the need for greater transparency and public control over the use of European agricultural funds in order to protect the Union’s financial interests. The proposal is being considered at the Council of Agricultural Ministers and any new arrangements that may be adopted will come into effect to coincide with the proposed reformed CAP regime.
168. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm that there will be no change to the status of the district veterinary office, County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7591/13]
View answerMy Department is currently reviewing the administrative support for its 16 Regional Offices and, in particular, the centralisation of this support in one or more centralised office(s). Centralising administrative procedures would enable my Department to reduce the number of administrative staff it requires to support District Veterinary Office operations and, accordingly, the cost of providing its services. The administrative functions for Cork have been recently centralised in Cork city and the administrative functions in the Limerick DVO will shortly be transferred to Naas. It has also been decided to transfer the administrative functions out of the Tipperary regional office. The centralisation of administrative functions in other regional offices will be considered in light of the availability of opportunities to redeploy the staff concerned to support other critical public services. There are no plans for the closure of the Cavan office in the context of this review.
