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Agri-Environment Options Scheme Applications

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 January 2014

Thursday, 23 January 2014

Questions (195)

Paul Connaughton

Question:

195. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon was excluded from the new agri-environment options scheme in view of the fact that they have callows land which should have made them eligible for the new scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3295/14]

View answer

Written answers

An application under the Agri-Environment Options Scheme from the person named was received in my Department on 28 November 2012.

The process of ranking and selecting all AEOS applicants was clearly set out in the scheme documentation. Acceptance into the scheme was established using the pre-determined selection criteria as follows:

1. farmers in the Boora region of Co. Offaly who chose Wild Bird Cover Option B (Grey Partridge) as one of their selected options,

2. farmers with a minimum of 0.5 hectares of designated land,

3. farm partnerships,

4. farmers who previously participated in REPS commencing with smallest farms. and

5. others based on farm size (again favouring smaller holdings).

Based on the funding available farmers in category 4 with 22.06 hectares of utilisable agricultural area and below were successful. Category 4 farmers with areas greater than this and all farmers in category 5 were unsuccessful. On the basis of his application form, the person named came under category 5 as he had not previously participated in REPS. On this basis a letter issued to him informing him that he was unsuccessful and setting out the reasons.

An appeal was received stating that the applicant had Natura (callows) land which was omitted from both the 2012 SPS application and from the AEOS application. If an applicant had Natura land they would have qualified for the Scheme under selection criteria 2 i.e. farmers with a minimum of 0.5 ha of designated land. The Terms and Conditions require that in order to gain entry to the scheme Natura land must be declared on the 2012 Single Payment Application and on a Sustainable Management Plan, signed by planner, as part of their AEOS application form. As the person named did not meet these requirements his appeal was disallowed on 20th September, 2013 and he was given the right to appeal this decision to the Agriculture Appeals Office.

The person named has now submitted an appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office and the matter is being examined. The person named will be notified of the outcome of the appeal in due course.

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