Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 September 2014
233. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason his Department repaid the EU forestry premiums that Coillte had drawn down before the European Court of Justice judgment against them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35359/14]
View answerCoillte Teoranta received payment of afforestation premiums at the non-farmer rate from 1994 to 1999. The European Commission decided in August 1999 that Coillte was not eligible to receive such premiums as it did not consider Coillte to be a “private-law, natural or legal person” as defined in Regulation 2080/92. Ireland appealed this decision but, in late 2003, the European Court of Justice upheld the decision of the European Commission. 75% of the total amount paid to Coillte in premiums was paid by the European Commission and 25% by the Irish Exchequer. The State was obliged to return the EU element of the premium payment to the EU Commission.
