Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 March 2015
118. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied), who had an approved forestry grant, is now subject to a retrospective penalty of over €4,000; if the person has the right to appeal the decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9726/15]
View answerThe debt that arose in this case was solely as a result of an overpayment to the applicant; in this case there was no penalty imposed from the schedule of penalties provided for under the scheme. The application by the person named under the Native Woodland Establishment Scheme when originally claimed and approved for payment included an unplanted area of 1.7ha for which payment was not due. The amount owed has since been repaid in full. If the person in question believes that he has been unfairly treated in this matter it is open to him to seek a review by my Department of the decision giving the grounds on which he considers it should be reviewed.
