Written Answers Nos. 458-475
458. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment under the basic payment scheme will issue to a person (details provided) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38101/15]
View answerAn application under the Transfer of Allocation Right and reference Value of the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme was received from the person named. While processing this application it came to light that there are unresolved issues relating to a 2014 Single Payment application involving the person named. My Department will be in direct contact with a view to resolving these outstanding issues. An application under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 27 April 2015. Processing of the application was recently finalised and payment issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 22 September 2015.
459. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the rules and guidelines surrounding dog breeding establishments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38115/15]
View answerThe Dog Breeding Establishment Act 2010 regulates the operation of dog breeding establishments. The Act is enforced by Department of Community, Environment and Local Government. While the Dog Breeding Establishment Act remains a matter for the Minister for Environment and the Local Authorities, a joint inspection regime of Dog Breeding Establishments involving officials from my Department and the Local Authority Veterinary Service was inaugurated earlier this year. Inspections are continuing and necessary follow up action will be taken as appropriate.
460. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a farmer (details supplied) in County Clare will receive payments under the single payment scheme and the areas of natural constraints scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38125/15]
View answerAn application under the Basic Payments Scheme and the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 5 May 2015. Processing of these applications has recently been finalised and payments due under both schemes will issue shortly.
461. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) will receive a payment; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38137/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Schemes was received from the person named on 14 May 2015. Processing of the Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme application has been finalised and payment issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 22 September 2015. Processing of the Basic Payment Scheme application of the person named has been finalised with payment issuing directly to their nominated bank account.
An application under the 2015 Young Farmers Scheme was received from the person named on 14 May 2015. Processing of Young Farmers Scheme applications is underway which involves administrative and on farm checks and verification of land details submitted under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme application. These checks are required under EU Regulations. In cases where additional information is required, the Department will correspond directly with the applicant concerned.
When all checks have been completed and processing of applications has been finalised, the Department will correspond directly with each applicant to advise them of the outcome of their application. Payments to successful applicants under the Young Farmers Scheme will commence early in December 2015.
462. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps he will take to ensure that a payment under the single payment scheme due to a person (details supplied) in County Longford is immediately paid, as all the appropriate transfer documents have been submitted, and as this payment is urgently required by the new applicant farmer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38158/15]
View answerMy Department received a 2015 Private Contract Clause application from the person named. There were some issues that required to be clarified regarding the transfer form and an official from my Department has been in contact with the person named to resolve these. Once resolved, processing of the application will be finalised and payment will issue shortly thereafter.
An application to the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme was received from the person named on the 26th March 2015. Processing of these applications is underway which involves administrative and on farm checks and verification of land details submitted under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme application. These checks are required under EU Regulations. In cases where additional information is required, the Department will correspond directly with the applicant concerned.
When all checks have been completed and processing of applications has been finalised, the Department will correspond directly with each applicant to advise them of the outcome of their application.
Payments to successful applicants under the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme will commence early in December 2015.
463. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will extend the closing date for the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme 2 until 20 December 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38167/15]
View answerOn 27 October 2015 I opened the second Tranche for the submission of GLAS applications with the objective of increasing scheme participation levels in 2016 to between 35,000 and 40,000. This Tranche will close on 7 December 2 015 and I do not believe an extension to the closing date is necessary.
464. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when €13.7 million made available by the European Union due to the crisis in the dairy industry will be paid to dairy farmers; the basis on which it will be paid; the percentage of the fund that will be used to provide a top-up to young farmers; the number of farmers who will benefit; the number of these who will receive the young farmers top-up; the amount of the expected payment to each farmer over 40 years of age, and to each farmer under 40 years of age; the expected amount of any Exchequer top-up to the fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38171/15]
View answerThe relevant EU legislative provisions providing for this direct aid payment came into force in the last fortnight and provide that Member States have the flexibility to distribute this aid through the most effective channels at their disposal. It is a clear requirement of the provisions regarding this aid that the funds need to be distributed on the basis of objective and non-discriminatory criteria and also needs to ensure that farmers in the relevant sectors are the ultimate beneficiaries of the targeted aid. I have discussed these matters with representatives of the dairy sector, most recently at the dairy forum on 29 September. I took the opportunity to update stakeholders regarding progress to date and to seek their opinions regarding how best to distribute this aid. Any decision on distribution obviously had to await the adoption at EU level of the relevant legislative provisions. In addition my Department have also had discussions with representatives of the Irish pig sector. I am currently considering various options and intend to announce final decisions regarding the aid levels and mechanisms in the very near future.
465. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the areas of natural constraints scheme and the basic payment scheme will issue to a farmer (details supplied) in County Donegal; whether payments under the basic payment scheme include an element of the greening payment; if not, when will the greening payment be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38175/15]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment /Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme application on 14 May 2015. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases Remote Sensing (i.e. satellite) inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The application of the person named was selected for a Remote Sensing eligibility inspection. This inspection is currently being processed with the intention of issuing any payments due under the Direct Payments Schemes as soon as possible. In the event that any queries arise officials in my Department will be in contact with the person named.
466. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated cost of the areas of natural constraints scheme, if the cutbacks that applied since 2008 to it and to the disadvantaged areas scheme, which preceded it, were to be reversed, and if the level of payments under the scheme were to revert to the 2007 level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38177/15]
View answerFollowing the agreement of the new Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, an Area of Natural Constraints (ANC) Scheme was introduced. This scheme replaces the former Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and the Less Favoured Areas (LFA) Scheme. The ANC Scheme is worth €195 million annually to some 100,000 farmers and in excess of €1.3 billion over the life time of the Programme. The annual budget of €195 million is in line with previous years funding and is focused on those farmers who are most actively pursuing a farming activity and contributing to the economic life of the rural areas where they farm.
The total amount paid to applicants under the LFA Scheme in 2007 was €254,750,496. Since that time a number of changes to the scheme have been put in place. While it is difficult to be absolutely precise in this matter given the changes since 2007, it would be expected that, if payment levels were set again at 2007 levels, the annual value of the scheme in 2015 would be similar to the total amount paid in 2007.
Many changes occurred over the lifetime of the previous RDP which gave rise to the need to amend expenditure under certain schemes. However, in making changes to the LFA scheme, every effort was made to maintain the level of aid to those farmers who were actively pursuing a farming activity and were contributing to the economic life of the rural areas where they farm.
The rates of aid payable to farmers whose holdings are situated in these areas are in line with the difficulties that they have had to overcome in farming in the areas in question and were not subject to any reduction during the years cuts were required. The reductions in funding in previous years were achieved by reducing the maximum area payable from 45 to 34 hectares and some other technical changes. Therefore, the vast majority of farmers, who are actively farming and are participants in the Scheme, were not impacted in any way by the budgetary cuts.
467. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38190/15]
View answerMy Department is currently examining approximately 400 cases that submitted invoices from one particular company to verify and support claims under the non-productive capital investment action of AEOS. It is known that in some cases the invoices submitted were for amounts different to those actually paid by the participants.
Funding provided under the scheme comes partly from the EU and partly from the National Exchequer. There is a requirement and obligation to ensure that the expenditure claimed by scheme participants reflects the reality of what took place. For that reason my Department wrote to participants requesting alternative proof that the amounts claimed were in fact the amounts paid.
The person named above was written to on 11 June 2015 regarding the non-productive capital investment claim that they had submitted. This letter requested the submission of alternative verifiable proof to support one of the invoices that was included in the claim. A reply to this letter was received on 3 July last.
My Department officials carefully examined the application in light of this reply; this examination indicated that the amount claimed was different to the verified costs. A letter informing the applicant of this determination, and of the proposed penalty, was issued on 14 October. This letter also offered the applicant an opportunity to submit additional information if he wished and to have the proposed determination reviewed within the Department.
A request to have the determination reviewed was received from the person named on 30 October. This correspondence will now be considered by officials and a final decision will then be made in this case.
468. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38191/15]
View answerMy Department is currently examining approximately 400 cases that submitted invoices from one particular company to verify and support claims under the non-productive capital investment action of AEOS. It is known that in some cases the invoices submitted were for amounts different to those actually paid by the participants. Funding provided under the scheme comes partly from the EU and partly from the National Exchequer. There is a requirement and obligation to ensure that the expenditure claimed by scheme participants reflects the reality of what took place. For that reason my Department wrote to participants requesting alternative proof that the amounts claimed were in fact the amounts paid.
The person named above was written to on 11 June 2015 regarding the non-productive capital investment claim that they had submitted. This letter requested the submission of alternative verifiable proof to support one of the invoices that was included in the claim. A reply to this letter was received on 3 July last.
My Department officials carefully examined the application in light of this reply; this examination indicated that the amount claimed was different to the verified costs. A letter informing the applicant of this determination, and of the proposed penalty, was issued on 14 October. This letter also offered the applicant an opportunity to submit additional information if he wished and to have the proposed determination reviewed within the Department.
Further correspondence was received from the person named on 30 October. This correspondence will now be considered by officials and a final decision will then be made in this case.
469. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person in County Mayo will receive farm payments; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38201/15]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment /Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme application on 12 May 2015. EU Regulations governing the administration of these schemes require that full and comprehensive administrative checks, including in some cases Remote Sensing (i.e. satellite) inspections, be completed before any payments issue. The application of the person named was selected for a Remote Sensing eligibility inspection. This inspection has now been finalised and payments due under the Basic Payment Scheme issued to the nominated bank account of the person named on 30 October 2015.
The status of the application of the person named under the Areas of Natural Constraint schemes is currently being examined with a view to issuing any payments due as soon as possible. In the event that any queries arise officials in my Department will be in contact with the person named.
470. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Question No. 112 of 13 October 2015, when a payment will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38202/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Basic Payment and areas of Natural Constraints Schemes was received from the person named on 29 May 2015. Processing of these applications has recently been finalised and any payments due under both schemes will issue shortly.
471. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a farmer in County Clare (details supplied) will receive payments under the single payment scheme and under the areas of natural constraints scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38216/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 4 May 2015. Processing of the application is currently in progress. On completion of this process, the application will be further reviewed with a view to payment issuing directly to the nominated bank account of the person named at the earliest possible date.
472. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a farmer from County Clare (details supplied) will receive a payment under the bovine viral diarrhoea compensation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38217/15]
View answerThe person named had one animal that was found to be persistently infected with Bovine Viral Diarrhoea. The animal was subsequently slaughtered. The application for this applicant has been processed and payment will issue shortly.
473. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a hardship grant in respect of tuberculosis restrictions will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38253/15]
View answerMy Department’s Cork office received an application under the 2014/2015 Hardship Grant Scheme for the person concerned on 9 December 2014. The application has now been processed and a payment in respect of the period 9 December 2014 to 14 January 2015, being the date on which the holding was derestricted, will issue shortly.
474. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when headage payments for 2015 will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38256/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 14 April 2015. Processing of the application has recently been finalised and payment will issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
475. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [38261/15]
View answerMy Department received a 2015 Private Contract Clause application from the person named. The application has been processed and payments due under the Basic Payment Scheme will issue shortly.
In relation to the application received under the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme, payment has now issued to the person named.
