Written Answers Nos. 333-47
333. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Sligo may expect their aid payment to be processed; the reason the payment has been delayed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43196/13]
View answerPayments under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced, on schedule, on 25 September and, to date, payments worth €143.3 million have issued nationally, to some 67,538 applicants, with payments continuing to issue on a twice weekly basis, with individual cases being paid as they are confirmed eligible. As processing of the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application of the person named has recently been finalised, payment will shortly issue, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
Also the 50% advance payment under the Single Farm Payment Scheme will commence on 16 October and I expect that payment will issue to the person named on that date.
334. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a disadvantaged areas scheme payment; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43201/13]
View answerPayments under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced, on schedule, on 25 September and, to date, payments worth €143.3 million have issued nationally, to some 67,538 applicants, with payments continuing to issue on a twice weekly basis, with individual cases being paid as they are confirmed eligible. As processing of the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application of the person named has recently been finalised, payment will shortly issue, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
335. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the outstanding disadvantaged areas scheme payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43202/13]
View answerPayments under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced, on schedule, on 25 September and, to date, payments worth €143.3 million have issued nationally, to some 67,538 applicants, with payments continuing to issue on a twice weekly basis, with individual cases being paid as they are confirmed eligible. As processing of the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application of the person named has recently been finalised, payment will shortly issue, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
336. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their farm payment; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43204/13]
View answerPayments under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced, on schedule, on 25 September and, to date, payments worth €143.3 million have issued nationally, to some 67,538 applicants, with payments continuing to issue on a twice weekly basis, with individual cases being paid as they are confirmed eligible. As processing of the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application of the person named has recently been finalised, payment will shortly issue, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
Also the 50% advance payment under the Single Farm Payment Scheme will commence on 16 October and I expect that payment will issue to the person named on that date.
337. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision has been made on the disadvantaged areas scheme and single farm payment appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43206/13]
View answerPayments under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced, on schedule, on 25 September and, to date, payments worth €143.3 million have issued nationally, to some 67,538 applicants. Payments will continue to issue on a twice weekly basis, with individual cases being paid as they are confirmed eligible.
While processing the application of the person named a number over claims were identified. The person named has been notified of the over-claims and has accepted the Department’s findings. Payment will shortly issue to the person named based on the reduced area found.
Also the 50% advance payment under the Single Farm Payment Scheme will commence on 16 October and I expect that payment will issue to the person named on that date.
338. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding area aid payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43211/13]
View answerAn application under the Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from person named on 10 April 2013. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases on-farm inspections, be completed before any payments issue.
The application of the person named was selected for a remote sensing and cross compliance inspection. These inspections have been completed and the results are now being finalised. In the event that any queries arise officials in my Department will shortly be in contact with the person named.
339. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) may expect to receive their headage payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43221/13]
View answerAn application under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 15 May 2013. Payment has not issued as the holding has not yet satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements. As soon as 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.
340. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Galway may expect a decision on their appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43229/13]
View answerThe above-named joined the Organic Farming Scheme in March 2008 with a contract start date of 1 April 2008 and an end date of 31 December 2013. Participants in the Scheme must hold an organic licence for the duration of their contract.
My Department were informed by the Organic Control Body, responsible for the issuing of organic licences that the above-named had lapsed as an organic operator with effect from 31 December 2012. In accordance with the terms and conditions of the Organic Farming Scheme my Department sought recoupment of all monies paid. I understand that some monies have been recouped from other scheme payments of the person named and offset against the amount owed in accordance with the governing Scheme conditions.
The person named sought a review of this decision. The decision was reviewed by a senior official in my Department who upheld the original decision. The person named has recently been notified in writing of the outcome of this review and has been given the option of appealing the decision to the Agriculture Appeals Office.
341. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their farm payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43234/13]
View answerThe person named submitted a Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme application on 13 May 2013. EU Regulations governing the administration of the schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases on farm inspections, be completed before any payments issue.
The application of the person named was selected for a ground eligibility inspection. This inspection identified discrepancies between the area declared and the area found, resulting in an over-declaration in area of greater than 2 hectares. Based on the Terms and Conditions of the schemes, this results in the 2013 payments being based on the found area having being reduced by double the difference between the area found and the area claimed.
The person named was notified of this decision on 23 September 2013. The person named was also informed of the right to see a review of this decision, In the event that the person named in dissatisfied with the outcome of the review, the decision can be appealed to the Independent Agriculture Appeals Office, within 3 months.
The payments under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme and Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme, which will issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of person named, have been calculated taking account of the over-claim mentioned above. Should the person named avail of the right of appeal and should that appeal prove successful, then the payments under both Schemes will be recalculated to take account of the successful appeal.
342. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine regarding Teagasc’s trial of genetically modified crops, which many are against, if he will offer any rationale that will address the following concerns: that GM crops will damage our national economy by destroying Ireland's status as a GMO-free crop zone; that GM crops threaten biodiversity and risk contaminating Irish potatoes in perpetuity; that GM crops require the use of glyphosate which is linked to birth defects and cancer; that literature from Teagasc admits the related GM patents could be sold or licensed to corporations such as Monsanto; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43235/13]
View answerGenetic modification is a science-based technology which, in the case of plants, alters the gene structure in a way that does not occur naturally through fertilisation or natural recombination. This modification confers certain traits to the plant that can be advantageous to agriculture and food production.
Responsibility for the approval for the undertaking of field trials of genetically modified (GM) crops in the State rests with my colleague the Minister for Environment and Local Government, Mr. Phil Hogan TD, in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency.
In July 2012, the EPA granted consent to Teagasc to carry out a field trial with GM blight resistant potatoes in Carlow over a four year period from 2012 to 2016 inclusive. The field trial was granted subject to conditions and will be subject to ongoing inspections and reporting requirements.
The herbicide used in the Teagasc trial is a generic glyphosate, which is readily available in garden centres and hardware shops and is used in conventional tillage crops all over the country.
Herbicides containing the active ingredient glyphosate have been available on the European market since the mid 1970’s. Glyphosate has been scientifically reviewed previously by the EU and a number of OECD countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia etc. Reviews in each of these countries have established that products containing Glyphosate can be used safely and without deleterious health effects on humans or the environment.
Glyphosate is currently being reviewed again to determine its continued use in the EU in light of the most up-to-date evidence and analysis techniques. This review will encompass and involve all data currently available on the chemical and will involve all EU Member States and the European Food Safety Authority.
The Teagasc trial is part of an EU Framework Programme 7 funded research project consisting of 22 partners in 15 EU Member States and there is no commercial aspect to this project.
343. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a disadvantaged areas scheme payment application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43236/13]
View answerAn application under the Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from person named on 22 April 2013. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases on-farm inspections, be completed before any payments issue.
The application of the person named was selected for a remote sensing inspection. This inspection has been completed and the results are now being finalised. In the event that any queries arise officials in my Department will shortly be in contact with the person named.
344. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the single farm payment has been withdrawn from those companies or businesses which were found to have contributed to the horsemeat scandal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43284/13]
View answerPenalties under the Single Farm Payment, leading to reduced payments, can result from failure to adhere to both the EU and National scheme requirements, including rules relating to cross compliance. These detailed rules are set out in the scheme Terms and Conditions which are available on my Department’s website. Offences which may to taken into consideration to reduce or eliminate part or all SFP payments relate solely to actions which contravene these terms and conditions; other offences cannot be taken into consideration.
345. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the numbers of farmers on whom penalties were imposed following a land eligibility inspection in County Tipperary in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43285/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department are collating the data requested by the Deputy and will forward it directly to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
346. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a milk quota in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43288/13]
View answerAllocations of milk quota from the National Reserve are granted on the basis of recommendations from the Milk Quota Appeals Tribunal. The Tribunal examines and makes recommendations on applications for additional quota from individual producers. The Tribunal considers issues such as on and off farm income level; use of previous years quota, previous allocations and the volume of quota available for distribution.
The person named submitted an application to the Tribunal seeking an allocation of additional quota on the grounds of hardship. This application was examined by the Tribunal members at its meeting on 12 September 2013. Based on the information contained in the application and the limited volume of quota available for distribution, the Tribunal did not recommend an allocation of quota to the applicant.
The person named was notified of this decision by letter.
347. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason correspondence in respect of a person (details supplied) has not been dealt with at this stage; the reason they have not received their single farm payment and disadvantaged areas scheme payments; if same will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43312/13]
View answerAn application under 2013 Single Payment / Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 8 May 2013. Processing of the application has recently been finalised and payment of DAS will shortly issue, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
Also the 50% advance payment under the Single Farm Payment Scheme will commence on 16 October and I expect that payment will issue to the person named on that date.
