Single Payment Scheme Eligibility

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 December 2014

Tuesday, 16 December 2014

Questions (339)

Patrick O'Donovan

Question:

339. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of a recent response by the EU Commissioner for agriculture to a parliamentary question, if he will provide details in tabular form by county since 2009 of the number of farmers who have lost their single farm payment because of a loss of compliance with the definition eligible and where the eligibility has been lost as a result of the implementation of the habitat directives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48358/14]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

There are a number of elements to the provisions contained in Article 34 of Council Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 relating to the eligibility of the type of land referred to under the Single Payment Scheme. The specific requirements are as follows;

- The land in question must have been designated under the Birds or Habitat Directives.

- The areas must have been eligible for payment under the 2008 Single Payment Scheme.

- The additional ineligible areas with scrub must have occurred since the 2008 base year, which must be capable of verification.

- The additional scrub must have arisen because of the designation of the area as a habitat and the need to adhere to the management requirements for that habitat.

In the circumstances, it is not possible to provide the requested information as it is not available.