Written Answers Nos. 176-186
176. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a repayment has been requested in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43932/13]
View answerThe holding of the person named was subject to a Cross Compliance inspection on 15 November 2011. As part of this process the person named was requested to submit to the Department specific records, as required under the Nitrates Regulations, within 2 weeks of the date of the inspection.
The analysis of these records firstly indicated that the records were submitted after the deadline and secondly that there was insufficient storage capacity on the holding of the person named for the volume of organic fertiliser/livestock manure being generated. As a result a 20% penalty was applied against the 2011 Single Payment Scheme of the person named. The person named was informed of this decision on 29 August 2013.
As payment had already been made in respect of the 2011 Single Payment Scheme, an overpayment was recorded and officials from my Department contacted the person named on 8 October 2013 to explain how the monies owing could be repaid.
The person named has appealed the penalty decision and this request for a review is currently being examined. The person named will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible. In the event that the person named is dissatisfied with the outcome of the review, the decision can be appealed to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office within 3 months.
177. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a single farm payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43937/13]
View answerThe person named submitted a Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application on 15 May 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 ground eligibility 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.
178. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will expedite a single farm payment application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43946/13]
View answerAs the person named does not possess any Single Payment Entitlements, nor has he declared the minimum qualifying area (3 hectares) under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, no payments under either Scheme are due. An official of my Department has been in direct contact with the person named to explain matters.
179. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon; the reason for the delay in same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43959/13]
View answerPayments under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced, on schedule, on 25 September and, to date, payments worth €169 million have issued nationally, to some 80,115 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.
180. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a disadvantaged area scheme-area aid payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43981/13]
View answerPayments under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced, on schedule, on 25 September and, to date, payments worth €169 million have issued nationally, to some 80,115 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.
181. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a disadvantaged area scheme-area aid payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43985/13]
View answerPayments under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced, on schedule, on 25 September and, to date, payments worth €169 million have issued nationally, to some 80,115 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.
182. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a 2013 disadvantaged areas scheme payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44016/13]
View answerPayments under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced, on schedule, on 25 September and, to date, payments worth €169 million have issued nationally, to some 80,115 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.
183. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a disadvantaged areas scheme payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44045/13]
View answerThe person named submitted a Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application on 15 May 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 ground eligibility/cross compliance inspection.
The ground eligibility inspection has been completed and the results are now being finalised. In the event that any queries arise officials of my Department will shortly be in contact with the person named.
During the course of the cross compliance inspection discrepancies were recorded in relation to cattle identification and registration requirements, resulting in a 1% penalty. The person named was notified of this decision on 20 September 2013.
The person named has appealed this decision and this request for a review is currently being examined. The person named will be notified of the outcome of this review as soon as possible. In the event that the person named is dissatisfied with the outcome of the review, the decision can be appealed to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office within 3 months.
184. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 524 of 25 June 2013 if a review has been completed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44052/13]
View answerAs part of the review of this case, the person named was again recently contacted by an official of my Department, on foot of which, it was agreed that the original maps submitted by the person named (under the old Area Aid Scheme) should be reviewed; it was agreed with the person named that an official of my Department will again contact the person named next week in connection with this review.
185. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will instruct his Department to issue disadvantaged areas and single farm payments on the remainder of the holding which is in order where there is a portion of land that represents 1% or less of the holding over which there is a discrepancy, so as to alleviate the financial pressure on farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44068/13]
View answerI am very conscious in the context of the ongoing review of the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS) of the need, given the financial pressure on many farmers, to minimise the impact on payments under the Single Payment and Disadvantaged Areas schemes. Accordingly arrangements have been put in place, whereby applicants with any over-claims which arise during the processing of their 2013 SPS applications, are processed immediately for payment with the reduction and, if appropriate, the relevant penalty applied. This is reflected in the payment figures under the SPS, on 16th October 2013, with €540 million paid to 108,000 farmers. To date total payments of €169 million have issued to 80,000 farmers under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. This means that my Department has achieved the commitment given that the parcel review process would not hold up payments.
