Michael Finucane
Ceist:214 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the status regarding extensification premium payments to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [11926/02]
Written Answers. - Extensification Premium.
The person named claimed a parcel of land on his 2001 area aid application that was also claimed by another person. To establish who was legitimately entitled to claim it, in November 2001 the area aid unit wrote to both parties. On 9 January 2002, the other person submitted a Land Registry copy folio showing that he was entitled to claim the parcel in question.
Under Article 9 of EU Commission Regulation 3887/92, where the difference in area between the area declared and the area found is greater than 20%, area-based payments are not permissible. In this case the over-declaration amounted to 26.3%. The person named is a participant under special beef premium, extensification premium and the area based compensatory allowances schemes for 2001.
Given the foregoing and in compliance with EU regulations, it would seem that my Department has no option but to maintain its decision in this case. I am, however, arranging for an officer of my Department to visit the person named with a view to establishing the reason he included the parcel in question on his area aid application for 2001.