The person named submitted an application for an allocation of entitlements from the 2005 Single Payment Scheme National Reserve under Category A.
Category A caters for farmers who inherited land or received land free of charge or for a nominal sum from a farmer who had retired or died before 16 May 2005 and who had leased out his/her holding to a third party during the reference period 2000 to 2002. The person named was not successful under this category as the land acquired was not received free of charge or for a nominal sum.
A formal letter outlining my Department's decision issued to the person named and he subsequently submitted an appeal against this decision which was received in my Department on 23 January, 2007. In all such cases, the procedure is that all contentions put forward in support of an appeal are first of all reviewed within my Department to see whether there is sufficient evidence to warrant any change to the original decision. In this case the documentation was examined by my Department but did not provide grounds for a change to the original decision. This case has since been forwarded to the Independent Single Payments Appeals Committee who will carry out a full review of the case and will correspond directly with the person named following the outcome of their review.
Under the 2006 National Reserve there are provisions for New Entrants to farming who have leased land. These provisions cater for farmers who commenced farming after 31 December 2002 or who, while farming during 2002, did not receive any direct payments in respect of that year. The income and educational qualification that applied to new entrants in 2005 again apply to this category. In addition, new entrants who are farming leased / rented land will be eligible for an allocation provided they can demonstrate a genuine commitment to farming. In this context the leased/rented land must have been declared on the 2004 Area Aid application and on the 2005 and 2006 Single Payment Scheme application.
My Department has forwarded a 2006 National Reserve application form to the person named for his attention. Should the person named feel that he qualifies for the 2006 National Reserve he should return the completed application form to my Department offices in Portlaoise at his earliest possible convenience.