Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 November 2015
134. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when outstanding headage payments for 2015 will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42044/15]
View answerAn application under the 2015 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme was received from the person named on 8 April 2015. Payment under the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme has not issued to the person named as, at this stage, the holding concerned has not satisfied the Scheme’s minimum stocking density requirements.
Under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme, eligible applicants are required to have met a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units for a retention period of seven consecutive months and to maintain an annual average of 0.15 livestock units calculated over the twelve months of the scheme year. In respect of sheep farmers, they are requested to comply with EU Regulation 21/2004 and return an annual count of the numbers of sheep on their holding via the annual sheep census. Examination of departmental records confirms no record of a sheep census return in respect of the holding of the person named for the relevant period. An official from my Department has been in direct contact with the person named regarding this matter.
