Written Answers Nos. 280-295
280. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application for a payment under the agri-environment options scheme by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39307/15]
View answerThe person named commenced her AEOS 1 contract on 1 May 2010 and received payment in respect of the 2010 scheme year. Issues arose in respect of the Capital Investment element of the contract, resulting in a lower payment for the scheme years 2011 and 2012. Two supplementary payments in the amount of €965.69 issued on 25/6/12 and 11/3/13 respectively, restoring full payments for 2011 and 2012. Full payment then issued as normal for the 2013 and 2014 scheme years.
In relation to 2015, payments in any calendar year cannot be made until after 15 October at the earliest. Also, 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. The cross-checks for the 2015 AEOS scheme year could only take place following the finalisation of the BPS applications for 2015 and the issuing of BPS payments. It is expected that AEOS payments for the 2015 scheme year will commence towards the end of November for those that have successfully come through the administrative checks and where there are no outstanding issues for those who had on-the-spot inspections in 2015.
281. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a herd number has not been transferred given that the application (details supplied) was submitted over six months ago; when the payments will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39330/15]
View answerMy Department received a 2015 Transfer of Entitlement Allocation Right and Reference Value form from the persons named. Issues regarding change of herd owner under the herd number had prevented this transfer application from being processed. These issues have now been resolved and the transfer application has been processed. Payment under the Basic Payment Scheme will issue as soon as possible.
282. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the significant reduction in the rate of payment under the single payment scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; if entitlements bought in 2014 have been included in the calculation of the 2015 entitlement; if leased land has been included in the calculation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39331/15]
View answerThe number of entitlements to be allocated to any one farmer under the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015 is based on the number of eligible hectares declared in 2013 or 2015, whichever is lesser. The person named declared 69.42 hectares of eligible land in 2013 and, in 2015 declared 86.29 which includes 27.34 hectares declared in relation to a Private Contract Clause application, therefore he will be allocated 58.95 entitlements.
In 2014, the person named submitted two Transfer of Entitlements application forms and applied to purchase 7.00 entitlements with a total value of €2082.71 from another farmer and also an Inheritance of 7.6 entitlements with a total value of €1436.40 from another farmer. These applications were successful and payment issued accordingly. This increased the total value of entitlements held by the person named in 2014 to €20,524.92.
The 2015 value of entitlements is based on a fixed percentage of the total value of entitlements owned by the farmer in 2014 plus the value of any payment received under the Grassland Sheep Scheme in that year. As with all farmers, a person’s direct payment in 2015 is no longer based solely on entitlements but is divided between the Basic Payment Scheme and the Greening payment.
In 2015 the person named has established 58.95 entitlements with an estimated unit value of €226.34. As this unit value is above the National Average, his entitlements will be subject to gradual reduction from 2015 to 2019. For 2015, the total value of his Basic Payment Scheme entitlements and greening is €19,234.80.
In addition, my Department received a 2015 Private Contract Clause application from the person named. Clarification on some outstanding issues was required and this application has now been fully processed. Advance payment under the basic Payment Scheme will issue as soon as possible.
283. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a penalty imposed on a person (details supplied) in County Cork in relation to a specific scheme for 2013 and 2014. [39353/15]
View answerThe person named joined AEOS 1 in 2010 and was paid in full for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 scheme years. Following an inspection on 14 August 2013, issues arose in relation to the Tree Planting and Planting New Hedgerow actions. AEOS applicants are required to undertake one mandatory and one complementary action and as the Inspector deemed the complementary Tree Planting action ineligible, the AEOS contract was terminated. The person named appealed the termination and following an oral hearing on the 12 December 2014 with the Agriculture Appeals Office his appeal was allowed and his contract was reinstated.
However, issues still remained, separate to the issue that was appealed, in relation to the Planting New Hedgerow action, and the 2013 scheme year payment was reduced following the application of a penalty of €593.22 and a reduction in the payable length of hedgerows from 515m to 458m, resulting in a monetary reduction of €324.33. This reduction in payment was applied to the 2014 scheme year and will apply to all full scheme year payments. The person named has now been notified of this finding and has been informed of his right to have this decision reviewed and appealed.
284. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will arrange to issue payments under the disadvantaged areas scheme and the single payment scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39355/15]
View answerThe person named submitted a 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme application on 28 April 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.
285. Deputy Noel Harrington asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive farm payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39362/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 21 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.
286. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the basic payment scheme and areas of natural constraint scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39367/15]
View answerAn application under Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Schemes was received from the person named on 14 May 2015. Processing of the application under both schemes is currently in progress. On completion of this process, the application will be further reviewed with a view to payments issuing directly to the nominated bank account of the person named at the earliest possible date.
288. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway has not received a payment under the rural environment protection scheme for the past two years; when payment will issue; if this will affect the person's application under the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39397/15]
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 he had submitted. This letter requested the submission of alternative verifiable proof to support one of the invoices that was included in the claim of expenditure that he had incurred. A reply to this letter was received on 19 August last.
My Department officials carefully examined the application in light of this reply; this examination indicated that the amounts claimed had not been satisfactorily verified and that they were greater than the costs in verified cases. A letter informing the applicant of this determination, and of the proposed penalty, was issued on 6 November. This letter also offered the applicant an opportunity to have the determination reviewed within the Department and to submit additional information if he wished, not later than 20 November.
As soon as may be after a request for a review is received, or after 20 November, if a request for review is not received, a final decision will be made in this case and a further letter will then issue to the person named informing him of the decision.
289. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a single payment for persons (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39398/15]
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.
An official from my Department has been in direct contact with the person named to explain the situation and has advised the person named of the current position.
290. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of payments under the basic payment scheme, the areas of natural constraint scheme, and the agri-environment options scheme for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39412/15]
View answerAn application under Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Schemes was received from the person named on 28 May 2015. Processing of the application under both schemes has now been completed. Payment will issue to the nominated bank account of the person named shortly. There is no record of the herd number provided under the Agri-Environment Options Scheme. However, the dedicated online GLAS System has a record of a Draft Online Application recorded for the person named. The application was never submitted to my Department, and therefore it cannot be considered as a completed application.
291. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will examine a deduction in the payment to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry under the basic payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39419/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 26 May, 2015. During processing of this application a dual claim error arose in relation to one of the parcels declared. In response to a query letter from my Department, the person named confirmed that she did not have the right to claim that parcel. As a result, a penalty of over 20% is applicable. This has resulted in no BPS payment being made this year. However, that penalty does not apply to the Greening payment, and this payment has been issued. An official from my Department has been in direct contact with the person named to discuss this matter.
292. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to facilitate older young farmers who have just failed to qualify as young farmers, to access the 60% grants under the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39440/15]
View answerI am aware that there are a group of such farmers who fall outside the Young Farmer category. It is my intention to prioritise these farmers for support under the other TAMS Schemes, including the Dairy Equipment Scheme, where they can avail of a 40% rate of aid.
293. Deputy Dinny McGinley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a payment under the single payment scheme will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39447/15]
View answerAn application under Basic Payment Scheme was received from the person named on 14 April 2015. Processing of the application has been recently completed. Payment will issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
294. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary No. 121 of 30 April 2015, when a reply will issue to the European Commission in response to its request for information dated 5 December 2013. [39453/15]
View answerI can confirm that a response issued to the European Parliament’s Committee on Petitions on 2 September 2015.
295. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payments will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39464/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 6 May 2015. Processing of the application has recently been finalised and payment will issue shortly, directly to the nominated bank account of the person named. My Department received a Transfer of Entitlement Allocation Right and Reference Value application from the above named. This application has been processed and payment under the Basic Payment Scheme will issue in the coming days.
An application under the 2015 Young Farmers Scheme was also received from the person named. 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, my 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.
