Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 November 2013
584. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for cuts in payments in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49070/13]
View answerThe person named submitted a Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme application on 15 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/cross compliance inspection.
The ground eligibility inspection identified discrepancies between the area declared and the area found, resulting in an over-declaration in area of between 3% and 20%. Based on the Terms and Conditions of the schemes, this results in the payment, under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme, being based on the found area having being reduced by double the difference between the area found and the area claimed. Payment on the above basis issued to the nominated bank account of the person named on 22 October 2013.
My Department has now reviewed this aspect of the case further and while an over-declaration in area of between 3% and 20% continues to apply, the level of area reduction has been reduced, resulting in a lower level of monetary reduction/penalty to be applied to the 2013 payment due under the Single Payment Scheme. Following this review, any monies owing will be processed and issued to the nominated bank account of person named as soon as possible. The person named will shortly be notified of the decision of the ground eligibility inspection and of their right to seek a review of this decision.
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 informed of this decision on the 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 any review, the decision can be appealed to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office, within 3 months.
