Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 February 2014
170. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who have had their REP scheme and SPS payments held up due to the delay in the area aid and REP scheme cross-check; when this cross-check is likely to happen; when these farmers are likely to receive their outstanding payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7039/14]
View answerArea-based schemes under the Rural Development Programme, 2007-13, in particular, are subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications, including cross checks with the Land Parcel Identification Scheme (LPIS), to be completed before payments can issue. These rigorous procedures, including on-farm inspections, apply to payments under the Single Payment Scheme, the Disadvantaged areas, the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) and the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS), to ensure that applications meet the scheme conditions and cross-compliance requirements.
I have given the highest priority to the processing and payment of all scheme payments and to the elimination of all unnecessary delays.
