Written Answers Nos. 194-201
194. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding payments of the disadvantaged areas and single farm payments schemes in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54532/13]
View answerThe person named submitted an application under the 2013 Single Payment and Disadvantaged Area Schemes on 26 April 2013. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases, land eligibility inspections, be completed before any payments issue.
In order to meet the EU requirements, the application concerned was one of a number which was selected for inspection. The application was initially examined via remote sensing (Satellite Inspection). As over claims were determined on some parcels, these were sent for ground inspection.
The ground inspection process confirmed an over claim of greater than 3% but less than 20% in this case. The person named was notified of this decision on 10 December 2013 and was also informed of his right to seek a review of this decision. To date there is no record of any appeal having been received in my Department. Payment under the Single Payment Scheme issued to the nominated bank account of the person named on 12 December based on the reduced eligible area following the application of penalties.
As processing of the application of the person named under the 2013 Disadvantaged Area Scheme is now completed, payment is due to issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
195. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Limerick was deducted €467.15 from the single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54577/13]
View answerIn accordance with EU regulations a review of all land declared on applications for payment under the various direct payment schemes is being undertaken to ensure that ineligible features have been excluded from the land declared.
During the review of the land declared by the person named it was identified that ineligible features, namely roadways and scrub, had been included on the land declared and that these features had been included on the Single Farm Payment Scheme application since 2009. This has resulted in an overclaim of €467.15 in respect of the years 2009 to 2012 inclusive and has been recouped from the balancing payment of the person named.
A further €115.24 was recouped from this herdowner’s advance payment in respect of the ineligible features included on the 2013 application. A letter and maps of the relevant parcels issued to the person named on 17 December. It is open to the person named to seek a review of the decision should he feel that the specific areas should not have been excluded. In the event that the person named is dissatisfied with the outcome of that review, the decision can also be appealed to the independent LPIS Appeals Committee.
196. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a rural environment protection scheme overclaim will be re-checked in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [54595/13]
View answerThe person named commenced REPS 4 in November 2008 and received payments for the first five years of their contract.
REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. Following the Land Parcel Identification Review (LPIS) an area discrepancy was identified which has resulted in the necessity for further clarification. This issue is currently being investigated with the intention of an early resolution and payment in respect of 2013.
197. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal is waiting on the single farm payment; if he will indicate a timeframe for when this payment will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54620/13]
View answerThe person named submitted a Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme application on 24 April 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 has been completed and the results finalised.
The cross compliance inspection identified breaches in relation cattle identification and registration requirements resulting in a 3% penalty being applied to the 2013 payments. The person named was notified of this decision on the 22 October 2013. The person named was also informed of the right to seek a review of this decision. 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.
Payment under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme, on the basis set out above, issued to the nominated bank account of person named on 10 December 2013. Payment under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme, on the basis set out above, will also issue shortly.
198. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the progression of the marina in Killybegs, County Donegal; if planning permission has been sought for the marina; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54621/13]
View answerThe development of this small craft harbour in Killybegs is seen as a much needed addition to the facilities provided within Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre, offering many benefits to harbour users as well as a welcome spin-off for the local economy. In 2013 I provided funding for this project under the Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development programme which is administered by my Department.
The design and planning phase of the project has progressed well. A planning application was lodged with Donegal County Council on 29 October 2013, however due to a technicality with the associated site notice, a renewed planning application will now be lodged with the council on 19 December and a new site notice will be erected.
199. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason Collite is not contributing to increasing our extremely low forest cover in line with our national forestry targets; the reason public forests are being cleared to be replaced with concrete and steel for private wind energy companies; the reason Coillte is unable to supply the ESB with quality wooden poles to satisfy an extremely lucrative domestic market; and his plans for same. [54626/13]
View answerWhile Coillte reforests some 6,000 ha annually after a crop of timber is harvested the company is not actively involved in afforestation of bare land. Current Government incentives for afforestation include grants generally to private farmers to cover the cost of afforestation and premiums to compensate the landowner for the loss of income. Under EU rules, Coillte is not entitled to receive these premiums. In order for Coillte to afforest land it would first have to acquire it in competition with farmers and secondly it would have to incur the cost of planting it without the benefit of these premiums.
On the issue of wind energy, the Deputy is aware that Ireland has a national renewable energy target to achieve 40% of electricity generation targets from renewable sources including wind by 2020. Coillte plays its role towards achieving this target; currently some 40% of all installed wind generation capacity is on land owned, leased or previously sold by Coillte to facilitate these projects by other State owned and private companies. When sites are being assessed for wind development every effort is made to limit the area of forest that is harvested to accommodate the wind farm and Department of Agriculture policy requires the planting of compensatory lands to ensure the loss of planted area is minimised.
As regards the issue of supply of wooden poles to the ESB, Coillte is working with ESB Networks and Eirgrid to supply as much as possible of their demand from native sources.
200. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the millions of euro worth of public forests sold by Coillte to a pension fund company (details supplied) in which Coillte is a partner were put out to tender on international markets or if it was the case that there was one seller and one buyer. [54627/13]
View answerThe Department is currently seeking information from Coillte regarding the background to these sales. Contact will be made directly with the Deputy when the relevant information has been received.
201. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a single farm payment penalty will be waived in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54628/13]
View answerFollowing a review of the eligibility of land declared by the person named on his 2013 Single Payment Scheme application it was identified that ineligible features were included in the areas claimed. The applicant was informed of the outcome of the review and of his right to seek a review of the decision. An application for a review was submitted and is currently under consideration by my Department. The applicant will be informed of the outcome of the review. If he is not satisfied with the outcome, he can submit an appeal to the Independent LPIS Appeals Committee.
