Vol. 527 No. 3
46 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if a REP case (details supplied) in County Meath will be reviewed following a penalty imposed by the Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23771/00]
As a result of an inspection on the farm of the person named in March 1999, a penalty of 10% was imposed on his REPS payment for failing to maintain hedgerows as set out in his agri-environmental plan.
The applicant appealed the decision and the matter was fully investigated by my Department before being examined by the REPS appeals committee in December, 1999. The committee decided to uphold the penalty on the grounds that the applicant did not comply with a specific requirement in his REPS plan.
This case was resubmitted, as an exceptional measure, to the appeals committee in June 2000. The committee re-examined the case fully but upheld its decision and the penalty remains in place. The decision of the appeals committee is my Department's final position on any case.
