Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 November 2013
190. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a disadvantaged area aid payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the reasons for the delay in payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47444/13]
View answerAn application under the 2013 Single Payment / Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 30 April 2013. Following the processing of this application issues relating to the verification of compliance with the minimum stocking density were identified.
Under 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, there are two criteria to be satisfied in relation to those applicants availing of equines to meet the minimum stocking density requirement. 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 twelve equine passports to my Department, as none was in respect of a breeding mare that foaled in either 2010, 2011 or 2012, the Scheme criteria have not been met. Accordingly, no payment is due under the 2013 Scheme.
