Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 October 2013
349. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision on an agri-environment options scheme 3 appeal will issue to persons (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43379/13]
View answerAn application under the Agri-Environment Options Scheme from the person named was received in my Department on 29 November 2012. Acceptance into the scheme, as laid down in the Terms & Conditions, was established using the selection criteria set out below:
Selection Criteria:
1. farmers in the Boora region of Co. Offaly who chose Wild Bird Cover Option B (Grey Partridge) as one of their selected options,
2. farmers with a minimum of 0.5 hectares of designated land,
3. farm partnerships,
4. farmers who previously participated in REPS commencing with smallest farms, and
5. others based on farm size (again favouring smaller holdings).
All eligible applicants in category 1, 2 and 3 were accepted into the Scheme. Based on the funding available farmers in category 4 with 22.06 hectares of utilisable agricultural area and below were successful. As the farm size of the person named, who was previously in REPS, is 25.18 hectares the application was unsuccessful and he was advised accordingly by letter dated 27 May, 2013.
An appeal was received and a reply issued on 10 October 2013 advising the applicant that it had been disallowed and notifying him of his right of appeal this decision to the Agriculture Appeals Office.
