Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 January 2014
568. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review a decision made to refuse a grant for sow housing welfare scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2749/14]
View answerThe TAMS Sow Welfare Scheme closed for the receipt of applications on 3 May 2013 and farmers were required to submit applications, with full planning permission where this was required, by that date in order to be eligible for grant-aid. The person named submitted an application for grant aid under the scheme on 8th April 2013 and was subject to a pre- approval on farm inspection. The requirement to have received full planning permission by the closing date of the scheme was the responsibility of the applicant and was clearly laid down in the Terms and Conditions of the scheme which accompanied the application form.
As full planning permission was not in place by the closing date in this case, approval could not be issued to the applicant to commence the relevant investment works under the Scheme.
As the TAMS Sow Welfare Scheme formed part of the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme, I am not in a position to reopen the Scheme at this stage. The EU Regulations governing the Scheme do not provide for the application of force majeure or exceptional circumstances in such cases.
