Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 December 2014
67. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a rural environment protection scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46406/14]
View answerMy Department has no record of the person named having been a participant in any of the REPS Schemes. However, he was approved for participation in the 2010 Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 1) with effect from the 1st December 2010. Full entitlements have issued in respect of the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Scheme years. In the approval letter which was issued by my Department in 2010, the contract commencement date and the contract end date of the 31st December 2015 for the person named was clearly set out.
During the validation checks in respect of the 2013 Scheme year, it was noted that the person named had not declared his LPIS parcels on the 2013 Single Farm Payment System. As a result of this, the actions applied for under the AEOS Scheme were ineligible. Officials in my Department wrote to the person named regarding this issue and sought clarification, but clarification was not received. A further letter issued to the person named notifying him that as a result of this issue, and as he had not abided by the Terms and Conditions of the scheme, his application had been terminated. In such circumstances all earlier payments made under the scheme must be repaid to the Department. The person named was also informed in the letter of his right to appeal the decision. There is no record of any such appeal having been received by my Department.
