Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2016
329. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Galway will receive payment under the agri-environment options scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46613/15]
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, requesting the submission of alternative verifiable proof in respect of one invoice. No reply was received to this letter and despite repeated attempts by my Department officials they have been unable to contact the person concerned on either of the two telephone numbers listed on their AEOS file. If the person-named makes contact with the Department, the matter can be progressed.
