Written Answers Nos. 614-629
614. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a rural environment protection scheme 4 payment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55207/13]
View answerThe person named commenced REPS 4 in April 2009 and received payments for the first four 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. This process has now been completed for 2013 payments and the 75% Year 5 payment amounting to €6,808.00 issued for payment on 10 January 2014. The remaining 25% balancing payment will issue shortly.
615. Deputy Seán Conlan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan has not received single farm and disadvantaged areas scheme payments. [55209/13]
View answerAn application under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 17 April 2013. Payments under the Single Payment Scheme issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named, the first instalment issuing on 16 October and the balancing payment issuing on 2 December.
Payment under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 20 December 2013.
616. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will extend the closing date for applicants of the dairy equipment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55237/13]
View answerThe TAMS Dairy Equipment Scheme formed part of the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme. I have, therefore, no plans to extend the closing date of 31 December 2013 and farmers were required to have lodged an application with my Department by that date in order to be eligible for grant-aid under the Scheme.
The determination of the farm sectors in which investment aid will be made available in the next rural development programme is currently under consideration within my Department.
617. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the single farm payment scheme in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Limerick. [55238/13]
View answerThe persons named made application for the 2013 Single Payment Scheme on 15 May 2013, following processing of which one of the land parcels declared by the person named was found to have been dual-claimed with a second party. The Terms and Conditions of the 2013 Single Payment Scheme state that any land applied for must either be owned, rented or leased to be eligible for payment. As the persons named have not forwarded documentation to prove ownership or that they are renting or leasing the land parcel in question, it is ineligible under the Terms and Conditions of the 2013 Scheme.
618. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason an officer of his Department could not find any commonage on the Keelderry commonage, County Galway, and could subsequently recommend a finding of 100% on similar type lands at Toormacnevin, County Galway, (details supplied) under the single payment scheme process, despite there being no change in the terms and conditions of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55256/13]
View answerThe commonage lands at Keelderry were inspected in 2010/2011. During the course of this inspection it was found that 90% of a specific parcel of this commonage land was ineligible under the terms and conditions of the Single Payment/ Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme. Two further parcels were deemed ineligible as one comprised of scrub and the other comprised of bog with heather. Finally one further parcel declared as rough grazing was found to comprise ineligible forestry, as it did not meet the specific requirements attaching to eligible forestry land due to it having been afforested prior to 2009.
The lands declared by the applicant under the specified herd number, with the exception of the commonage land at Toormacnevin, were subject to a ground eligibility inspection in 2011. Based on this inspection ineligible areas comprising scrub and rock were deducted from the eligible area. The commonage lands at Toormacnevin were subject to an ortho imagery review and no land was deemed ineligible at that time.
My Department is currently undertaking a full LPIS review of all declared lands parcels in the country and this parcel is being reviewed as part of this process.
619. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when arrears in the disadvantaged areas scheme will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55257/13]
View answerThe 2012 Single Payment/Disadvantaged application of the person named are currently being re-processed following a review of certain commonage parcels declared on the application.
Any payments due on foot of this will issue as soon as possible directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
620. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the agri-environment options scheme payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway following an inspection conducted a number of weeks ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55258/13]
View answerThe person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1 November 2010 and full payments have issued in respect of the 2010 and 2011 Scheme years.
The 2012 Single Payment application of the person named is currently being re-processed following a review of certain commonage parcels declared on the application. AEOS payments for 2012 will be processed as soon as this issue is resolved.
621. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason single farm payment has not issued in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; if his attention has been drawn to the importance of low sums of payment to low income families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55260/13]
View answerAn application under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 15 May 2013. The person named had established 29.7 standard entitlements at a unit value of €1.97. As the amount due is less than €100, under the provisions of Article 28 (1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 73/2009, no payment is due. This is outlined on Page 7 of the Terms and Conditions of the 2013 Single Payment Scheme which issues to all applicants.
622. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason single farm payment has not issued in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway; when same will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55261/13]
View answerAn application under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 30 April 2013. The processing of this application has been finalised and full payment issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 13 December.
623. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a single farm payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; the reasons for the delay in payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55262/13]
View answerThe advance payment under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 16 October 2013 with the balancing payment issuing on 17 December 2013.
624. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a rural environment protection scheme 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. [55263/13]
View answerThe person named commenced REPS 4 in July 2009 and received payments for the first four 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. This process has now been completed for 2013 payments and the 75% Year 5 payment amounting to €4,600.80 issued for payment on 20 December 2013. The remaining 25% balancing payment will issue shortly.
625. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason the single payment was reduced to nil in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; the reason all other payments are delayed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55266/13]
View answerThe 2013 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme application of the person named was selected for a ground eligibility inspection. This inspection identified discrepancies between the area declared and the area found, resulting in an over-declaration in area of greater than 50% in respect of the Single Farm Payment Scheme. Based on the Terms and Conditions of this scheme, this resulted in no payment issuing in respect of 2013.
The applicant was notified of this decision on the 2 January 2014. The person named was also informed of the right to seek a review of this decision. To date no request for a review has been received by my Department. In the event the person named is dissatisfied with the outcome of any such review the decision can be appealed to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office within 3 months.
The person named commenced REPS 4 in July 2009 and received payments for the first four 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.
626. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if farmers in an area (details supplied) in County Kerry will be allowed to use horses for the purpose of claiming entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55288/13]
View answerIn order to make the necessary savings, following the reduction in the budget for the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, technical adjustments were introduced to the Scheme criteria to ensure that the aid payment was focused on farmers whose farming enterprises are situated exclusively in DAS areas and who are making a significant contribution to achieving the objectives of the Scheme, which are defined in the governing EU legislation as follows:
- To ensure continued agricultural land use and thereby contribute to the maintenance of a viable rural community;
- To maintain the countryside;
- To maintain and promote sustainable farming systems which, in particular, take account of environmental protection measures.
While horses are no longer be eligible for the stocking density calculation, equine breeding enterprises continued to be eligible on the basis of the contribution they make to the local economy. Equine breeding enterprises are defined as follows: under the 2013 Scheme, an applicant must, in the first instance, have been an equine breeder and have bred a foal, from a mare registered as on the applicant’s holding in 2012, in either 2010, 2011 or 2012, which was registered in a Stud Book approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Furthermore, the premises of all who meet this criteria must be registered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, in accordance with S.I. No. 8 of 2012, Diseases of Animals Act 1966 (Registration of Horse Premises) Order 2012.
Where these criteria are met, the following equines were then eligible for inclusion in the stocking density calculation for the 2012 Scheme:
- All equines aged one year to five years, (aged using 1 January), registered in the name of the applicant and maintained on his/her holding;
- Breeding mares, registered as having been on the applicant’s holding in 2012, that have bred an appropriately registered foal in either 2010, 2011 or 2012.
In proposing the changes in question, the intention is to better focus the Scheme, which is to the benefit of the majority of those farming in areas with recognised constraints, while at the same time attempting to cater for those genuinely prevented from achieving the revised minimums.
627. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the penalty imposed on a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary in 2008 further to a single payment inspection; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the person was never notified of this penalty; if in view of this, the person can now appeal this penalty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55308/13]
View answerThe Department’s records indicate that in 2008, the amount of nitrogen from livestock manure applied to land on the holding of the person named above (including that deposited by animals) was 195 kgs per hectare, which exceeded the limit of 170 kgs per hectare set down in the Nitrates Regulations.
My Department wrote to the person named in February 2009 notifying them that they had exceeded the Nitrogen limit for 2008, and asked if there were any explanation why the total Nitrogen from livestock manure applied to their lands exceeded the 170 kg limit. No response was received to this letter.
The person named was then notified by letter dated 14 September 2011 of the 3% reduction to be applied to all applicable 2008 Direct Payments. The person named was also advised of their right to appeal this decision to the Agriculture Appeals Office, within 3 months of the date of the notification letter. My Department understands that the person named did not avail of this option.
The payments due to the person named under the 2013 Single Payment and Disadvantaged Areas’ Schemes were processed without any penalties being applied in respect of the 2013 scheme year. However, deductions were made from these payments to recoup monies owing as a result of Cross Compliance penalties applied to the 2011 and 2012 Single Payment and Disadvantaged Areas’ Schemes and to the REPS Scheme Years of 2008, 2009 and 2011. The details of these penalties were previously notified to the person named.
628. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide the most recent payment history of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; the reason payments ceased to be made to the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55312/13]
View answerMy Department’s records indicate that the most recent payment issued to the person named was on 25 May 2005 under the 2004 Extensification Scheme. Payments in respect of the Special Beef Premium Scheme and the Slaughter Premium Scheme issued between 16 October 2003 and 4 April 2005.
The person named did not establish entitlements under the Single Payment Scheme and was an unsuccessful applicant under the National Reserve Scheme in 2005. The land is not classified as ‘Disadvantaged’ under the Terms and Conditions of the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme. Furthermore the person named is not an applicant under the Rural Environment Protection Scheme or the Agri Environmental Options Scheme.
An official of my Department has been in direct contact with the person named and has explained the position to him.
629. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry received a penalty on a single farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55324/13]
View answerAn application under the Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Schemes was received from the person named on 15 May 2013. This application was one of those selected for Satellite (remote sensing) Inspection. Following initial processing of which, an over claim was determined. A subsequent ground examination confirmed the over claim. The total area over claim was between 3% and 20%, with resultant penalty applied to the application of the person named as per the Terms and Conditions and the relevant EU regulations. Based on the reduced area, advance payment issued on 16 October with the balance issuing on 2 December. A letter explaining the foregoing and also informing the person named of a right to appeal, issued on 27 September 2013.
