Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 January 2014
276. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason single farm payment and disadvantaged payments were reduced in respect of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1932/14]
View answerAn application under the 2013 Single Payment/Disadvantaged Areas scheme was received from the person named on 13 May 2013. Following initial processing, advance payment issued on 16 October and balancing payment issued on 2 December, in respect of the forage lands declared on the application. Following a review of the case it has been established that the persons named are now due a supplementary payment in respect of the recently afforested lands and this will issue shortly.
Payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme may only be made in respect of forage land and in this regard the Terms and Conditions of the 2013 Scheme provide as follows: ‘to be
eligible for payment under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme you must…occupy and farm in your own right and at your own risk a minimum of three hectares of forage land…’ As the person named afforested part of their holding in 2013, payment under the 2013 Scheme was reduced accordingly, with payment issuing on the eligible forage land.
