Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 November 2014
87. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a 2012 and 2013 single farm payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43561/14]
View answerThe 2012 Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application of the person named was selected for a ground eligibility inspection. This inspection identified discrepancies between the area declared and the area found, resulting in an over-declaration in area of between 3% and 20%. Based on the Terms and Conditions of the schemes, this resulted in the 2012 payments being based on the found area having been reduced by double the difference between the area found and the area claimed. Advance and Balancing payments due under the 2012 Single Payment Scheme issued on 25 October and 3 December 2012 respectively.
The person named appealed the decision of the inspection and was notified of the outcome of the review, which was to uphold the original decision, on 18 January 2013.
The person named appealed this outcome to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office. The Agriculture Appeals Office upheld the decision of the Department and the person named was notified of this decision on 24 January 2014. The person named was also notified that if they considered that they had been unfairly treated the matter could be raised with the Office of the Ombudsman.
A review of the land parcels declared by the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme revealed that a land parcel declared by the person named contained ineligible features. Following an appeal from the person named, a Department inspector visited the holding and cleared the lands in question as eligible. Payment due for 2013 Single Payment will issue to the person named shortly .
The person named was supplied with new maps when notified of the outcome of the inspection in a letter dated 25 September 2014 and advised of the right of appeal to the independently-chaired LPIS Appeals Committee. To date no such appeal has been lodged.
