Jim Daly
Question:95. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a single farm payment will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [47530/14]
View answerSingle Payment Scheme Payments
Questions (95)
Written answers
The person named submitted a 2014 Single Farm Payment scheme application on 8 May 2014. The processing of this application has now been completed and payment will issue shortly.
Single Payment Scheme Payments
Questions (96)
Seán Fleming
Question:96. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will be made under the single farm payment-disadvantaged areas scheme in respect of a person (detail supplied) in County Laois following a recent inspection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47542/14]
View answerWritten answers
The person named submitted a 2014 Single Farm Payment /Disadvantaged Areas’ scheme application on 11 May 2014. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases on-farm inspections, be completed before any payments issue.
The application of the person named was selected for a ground eligibility inspection.
The inspection identified discrepancies between the areas declared and the area found resulting in an over-declaration in area of less than 3% and less than 2 ha in respect of the Single Farm Payment Scheme. Under the Terms and Conditions of this scheme this resulted in the 2014 payment being based on the area found. The over-declaration in area was between 3% and 20% in respect of the Disadvantaged Areas’ Scheme. Under the Terms and Conditions of this scheme this resulted in the 2014 payment being reduced by double the difference between the area found and the area declared.
The person named was notified of this decision on 3 November 2014. The person named was also informed of the right to seek a review of this decision. In the event that the person named is dissatisfied with the outcome of any such review, the decision can be appealed to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office, within 3 months.
Payment, on the basis set out above, of the advance and balancing payments under the 2014 Single Payment Scheme issued to the nominated bank account of the person named on 6 November and 1 December 2014, respectively. Payment, on the basis set above, under the 2014 Disadvantaged Areas ’ Scheme issued to the nominated bank account of the person named on 7 November 2014.
Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments
Questions (97)
Paul Connaughton
Question:97. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payments will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Galway regarding the agri-environment options scheme beef technology and suckler cow welfare schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47562/14]
View answerWritten answers
The person named was approved for participation in the 2010 Agri Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 1) with effect from 1 September 2010 and payment has issued in respect of the 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 Scheme years. Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. These checks have been successfully completed in respect of the 2014 Scheme year and payment will issue to the person named shortly.
The person named was an applicant under the Animal Welfare Recording and Breeding Scheme for Suckler Herds 2008 to 2012 and has received full payment in respect of all eligible animals under this Scheme. The person named was also an applicant under the 2013 Beef Data Programme. While payment issued in respect of all eligible animals under this Scheme in June 2014, as per an agreement between the person named and the Revenue Commissioners, this amount was paid to an alternate payee.
The person named is an applicant under the 2014 Beef Data Programme and the 2014 Beef Genomics Scheme. Payments under the 2014 Beef Genomics Scheme commenced this week and payment will issue to the person named shortly. Payments under the 2014 Beef Data Programme will commence in June 2015 following the submission of the required information by all applicants and the completion of the necessary validation checks.
Finally, the person named is not a participant under the Beef Technology Adoption Programme.
Agriculture Scheme Administration
Questions (98)
Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:98. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when details of the allocation of the national reserve of entitlements under the basic payment and greening for 2015 will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47567/14]
View answerWritten answers
The National Reserve will be established in 2015 using 3% of the ceiling allocated to the Basic Payment Scheme while in subsequent years it is replenished by the reversion of unused entitlements. The 2015 National Reserve application form including full details of the Terms and Conditions of the scheme will be available in early January, 2015.
On-farm Investment Schemes
Questions (99)
Paul Connaughton
Question:99. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme will be reopening for sheep handling facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47581/14]
View answerWritten answers
The draft Rural Development Programme for the 2014-2020 period was submitted to the EU Commission for approval in July 2014 and includes provision for a suite of on-farm investment schemes. An Animal Welfare, Handling and Safety Scheme is among the proposals and the investment items proposed include sheep handling equipment. The definitive list of investment items eligible for support under TAMS II will be made available when EU Commission approval of the Programme has been received. That process is well underway, but it is not possible at this stage to fix definitive dates for the introduction of the scheme.
Installation Aid Scheme Eligibility
Questions (100)
Seamus Kirk
Question:100. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he will introduce an installation aid scheme for young farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47586/14]
View answerWritten answers
There are no plans currently to reintroduce installation aid for younger farmers. However, Ireland’s draft Rural Development Programme 2014 - 2020, which is now with the EU Commission for approval, includes a proposal for an enhanced capital investment scheme for young farmers. The new scheme will offer a specific grant rate of 60 per cent compared to the standard grant rate of 40 per cent which will be generally available under other on-farm investment schemes. The specific areas of investment available to young farmers will include animal housing, slurry storage, dairy equipment, specialised slurry spreading equipment, animal welfare and farm safety, and specialised pig and poultry investments, as well as capital investments for organic farmers. In addition, young farmers will be able to avail of grant-aid for construction of new dairy buildings.
These measures are complemented by a significant package of Young Farmer measures under Pillar 1 of CAP. Young Farmers and New Entrants will have priority access to the National Reserve which will be worth nearly €25 million in 2015. Successful applicants will get an allocation of entitlements based on the lands they declare in 2015. These entitlements will be valued at the national average. If applicants already hold entitlements, the value will be topped up to the national average.
Qualifying young farmers will also receive the Young Farmer’s payment under the Young Farmers Scheme under CAP Pillar 1. This is payable for a maximum period of five years. The ‘five years’ is dated from the year of setting up of the holding in his/her own name (i.e. from when the young farmer is allocated a herd-number). A young farmer who establishes a holding in early 2015 would receive the full five years of the Young Farmers payment.
The Young Farmers Scheme payment will be payable up to a maximum of 50 entitlements.
Ireland has selected the method of calculation which will give the maximum payment possible. The payment will be calculated as 25% of the national average payment per hectare which we estimate will give a payment of approximately €63 per entitlement held by the young farmer.
In addition to the incentives for young farmers under CAP as outlined above, The Government has also published the Agri-taxation Review as part of Budget 2015, setting out the main policy objectives for continuing support through agri-taxation measures. The first is to increase land mobility and the productive use of land, especially relevant to young farmers seeking access to land. Budget 2015 included the retention of the existing relief for income from long-term leasing of land and introduced a package of new measures to incentivise long-term leasing over the short-term conacre arrangements that are currently prevalent. The second is to assist succession and the transfer of farms, again especially relevant to young farmers, and Budget 2015 included a number of measures to maintain and strengthen the existing supports.
Other existing agri-taxation measures are retained, such as the Capital Allowance and Stock Relief measures, which support investment and are important to young farmers. There are also tax measures retained in Budget 2015, which are specifically aimed at young farmers:
- 100% Stock Relief on Income Tax for Certain Young Trained Farmers
- Stamp Duty Exemption on Transfers of Land to Young Trained Farmers.
Direct Payment Scheme Eligibility
Questions (101)
Seamus Kirk
Question:101. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the arrangements for young farmers to access entitlements; if the arrangements are finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47587/14]
View answerWritten answers
Significant priority is given to those who qualify as young farmers under the new regime of Direct Payments which takes effect in 2015.
The transition will include the establishment of a National Reserve using 3% of the ceiling allocated to the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015. This will provide a fund of almost €25million from which new entitlements will be allocated to successful applicants.
Priority under the National Reserve will be given to those who meet the definition of ‘young farmer’ and ‘new entrant to farming’. Successful applicants will receive an allocation of entitlements based on the eligible land declared on their 2015 Basic Payment Scheme application at a value equal to the national average value of entitlements in the year of application. Successful applicants who already hold entitlements which are below the national average value will receive a top-up whereby the value of those entitlements will be increased to the national average value.
To qualify as a ‘young farmer’, a farmer must meet all of the following conditions;
- S/he is participating in the Basic Payment Scheme
- S/he is aged no more than 40 years of age in the year when s/he first submits an application under the Basic Payment Scheme
- S/he is setting up an agricultural holding for the first time or has set up such a holding during the five years preceding the first submission of the Basic Payment Scheme application
- S/he has successfully completed a recognised course of education in agriculture giving rise to an award at FETAC level 6 or its equivalent or commits to undertaking such a course before the end of September 2016.
After consultation with each of the main farming organisations, and in the context of the limited funding available to the National Reserve, I have decided that an off-farm income limit of €40,000 will be applied to all applicants. In addition the maximum allocation that any one farmer may receive has been fixed at 90 entitlements.