Vol. 531 No. 3
164 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will take steps to ensure that an appeal against a decision by his Department to reduce REP scheme payments for a person (details supplied) in County Longford is heard; if he will ensure that an immediate response is given thereto; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5697/01]
My Department will write to the person named this week with a final decision on his case. The issue is whether he was in fact farming an area on which he had claimed payment. He has submitted information to support his case and this is being examined.
The matter is not one for the normal REPS appeals mechanism, which involves referral to the national REPS appeals committee, because it is not an issue of compliance or non-compliance. Instead, it is being fully reviewed by an officer of my Department who was not involved in the taking of the original decision.
