Vol. 452 No. 8
82 Mr. M. Ahern asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry his plans, if any, to introduce a new field indexation system to replace ordinance survey maps for area aid purposes by 1 January 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8794/95]
Arising from the CAP reforms agreed in the EU in 1992 and the increased compensatory payments for farmers which the reforms introduced, member states were obliged to put in place an integrated administration and control system to monitor and control the various payment schemes. As part of the integrated system, member states are required to introduce by 1 January 1996 an alphanumeric system for the identification of agricultural land parcels. In this context, the Department issued a Notice of Request for Tender for the creation of a Land Parcel Identification System and this was published in the Official Journal of the European Community on Friday 24 February 1995. The closing date for receipt of replies to the Request for Tender was Monday 20 March 1995.
The replies received are being evaluated at present and it is hoped that a contract for the creation of a Land Parcel Identification System will be signed within a few weeks. The contract will require that a data base for land parcels declared on Area Aid Applications is set up by the end of 1995. It is envisaged that in 1996 and later years farmers will quote in their area aid applications the unique references that will be assigned to their land parcels and will not need to submit maps unless existing parcels are being altered or subdivided or unless parcels which were not previously declared are being included in their applications.
