Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 December 2013
186. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which the various farm support payments in respect of the current year have been met to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53575/13]
View answerIn respect of the 2013 Single Payment Scheme, 120,551 cases have received payment thus far. This represents 98.04% of eligible applicants. The total amount paid to date is €1,164,127,448.10. Payments under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced, on schedule, on 25 September and, to date, payments worth €186.5 million have issued nationally to some 87,713 applicants, with payments continuing to issue on a twice weekly basis, with individual cases being paid as they are confirmed eligible. Payments under the 2013 Grassland Sheep Scheme are due to commence today with payments worth €12.6 million issuing nationally to some 26,076 applicants.
Under the REPS 4 Scheme there are a total number of 29,240 participants eligible for payment in 2013. A total of 14,113 participants have now received their (75%) 2013 payment to a value of € 57.06 million. It is anticipated that the 25% pay runs will commence shortly. There are currently 13,746 farmers active in AEOS 1 and 2. A total of 9,308 of these farmers have been paid their 75% payment in respect of the 2013 Scheme year and payment of the 25% will commence shortly. The remaining applications, which have issues that need to be resolved, will continue to be processed on an ongoing basis and will be paid once all administrative checks have been concluded. As regards payments to the 5,991 AEOS 3 participants who are in the initial year of the Scheme and are, therefore, subject to a detailed checking process, these will commence in the first quarter of 2014.
In relation to the On-Farm Investments Schemes all payments are made as soon as entitlement to grant-aid has been established.
