Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 January 2014
650. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason farmers are struggling to get information from his Department on the reason their REP scheme and single farm payments for 2013 have been delayed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55528/13]
View answerPayments under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme commenced, on schedule, on 16 October and, to date, payments worth €1,182,653,799 have issued nationally, to 121,783 applicants. This represents 99% of all eligible applicants. Payments continue to issue on outstanding cases as queries are resolved.
Payments under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme commenced, on schedule, on 25 September and, to date, payments worth €194,304,465 have issued nationally, to some 91,502 applicants, with payments continuing to issue on a twice weekly basis, with individual cases being paid as they are confirmed eligible.
Payments under the Grassland Sheep Scheme commenced on 11 December with payments worth €13,569,706 issuing to some 27,723 applicants. Again payments are continuing to issue as individual cases are confirmed eligible.
Well publicised Lo-call help-lines are available to assist those with queries on outstanding issues.
Area-based schemes under the Rural Development Programme, 2007-13, are subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications, including cross checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, to be completed before payments can issue. These rigorous procedures, together with on-farm inspections, apply to a number of scheme payments including the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) and are necessary to ensure that applications meet the scheme conditions and cross-compliance requirements.
At this stage 20,142 REPS 4 farmers have received 100% of their REPS4 2013 payment. A further 2,537 participants have received 75% of their payment and will receive their remaining 25% shortly. A total of €123.28m has been paid to in relation to the 2013 REPS4 payments.
Queries with regard to the remaining cases are being dealt with where participants have received queries from the local AES office and they should reply as soon as possible to allow payment to be made.
