Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 June 2013
819. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when agri-environment option scheme payments will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; the amount of the penalty imposed on them; the reason for the penalties; if this was reviewed after the inspection in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27648/13]
View answerThe person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from the 1st November 2010 and full payment totalling €652.08 issued in respect of 2010.
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. The person named was selected for a Cross Compliance Inspection which resulted in a penalty of 3% being imposed.
This application was also selected for on farm Inspections which took place on 5th December 2011 and 4th April 2012. During these inspections non-compliances were identified in relation to the Species Rich Grassland action which resulted in a further penalty being imposed. A letter issued to the person named on the 4th April 2012 informing him of these non compliances and set out his appeal option. An appeal was received by my Department and following a review of the file, the decision was made to disallow the appeal. On 10th June 2013 a letter issued to the person named informing him of this and giving him the option of appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office.
