Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 November 2014
219. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a ground inspection did not take place to determine the eligibility of an area for an appeal of a penalty of a single farm payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; if this inspection will now be scheduled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43740/14]
View answerA review of the land parcels declared by the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme revealed that one of the land parcels declared by the person named contained ineligible features. In order to clarify the position regarding the areas deemed ineligible my Department undertook a ground verification check, which was carried out on 31 January 2014. This check reduced the 2013 area over-declaration from 57.7% to 32.40% in the case of both the Single Farm Payment and the Disadvantaged Area Schemes. Regretfully, as 32.40% is still greater than 20% of the newly established eligible area in respect of both schemes, no payment is due to the person named under the 2013 Single Payment and Disadvantaged Area Schemes.
A letter detailing the outcome of the verification check was issued to the person named on 21 May 2014. This letter advised that if the person named was dissatisfied with the outcome of the verification check the decision could be appealed to the independently chaired LPIS Appeals Committee, within 3 months of the notification letter.
By letter dated 23 June 2014, the person named opted to avail of his right to appeal to the independently chaired LPIS Appeal Committee. Following due consideration, the LPIS Appeal Committee rejected his appeal, and notified him of the decision by letter dated 30 October 2014, in which, they outlined his right to appeal further to the office of the Ombudsman.
