Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 November 2010
12 Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the way in which mapping issues are impacting on payment of single farm payment and disadvantaged area payments to farmers; the number of farmers awaiting payment because of difficulties with mapping; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40536/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis year has proven to be a very challenging one from the point of view of processing Single Payment Scheme applications. A substantial additional workload has led to a situation where the initial processing and administrative validation of applications took considerably longer than recent years. In addition, there was a very large increase in the volume of maps submitted on which area changes were recorded. Most of these changes record where farmers wish to identify and have removed ineligible areas from the land parcels claimed.
By the time the processing of the 2010 applications is completed, it is expected that my Department will have processed and digitised maps received from over 70,000 farmers. This compares with a figure of 30,000 for 2009 and an average of 22,000 maps in recent years. On average each farmer submitted two maps with their 2010 application forms. It is for this reason that, despite the allocation of additional resources, the digitising of the maps submitted is taking a longer period than in previous years consequently some farmers have not received the full amount of their advance payment because maps submitted by them have not as yet been digitised.
Notwithstanding these difficulties, the total number of farmers advance paid under the Single Payment Scheme since payments commenced on 18th October is 110,438 with an amount totalling €519 million. Of the remaining 11,500 eligible applicants yet to be paid, approximately 600 applicants have not been paid due to the need to have their land parcels re-digitised. My Department is prioritising the re-digitising of the parcels for these applicants. The remaining maps requiring digitising will continue to be given top priority until they have all been processed.
When account is taken of the additional amounts paid under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, payments to date have reached almost €700 million, a significant figure under any circumstances. This underlines the initiatives that I have taken to achieve my objectives of maximising payments. One of the initiatives came from my decision to include the provision of advance payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme as well as the SPS. In a significant change, my Department has been able to pay those farmers whose applications are fully processed and clear on a weekly basis. I also brought forward the date for the balancing payment for the Disadvantage Areas Scheme. In addition, it has also been possible to make full or partial payments to those farmers whose only difficulty is non-digitised maps, with payment being made on those parcels of land that are digitised and cleared. This meant that thousands of farmers received payment much earlier than would normally have been the case.
I must point out that under the legislation governing the implementation of the Single Payment Scheme it is permissible to pay applicants only in respect of eligible land. In many cases this year, applicants have identified ineligible areas on maps sent to my Department which is then obliged to have these amendments digitised onto its Land Parcel Identification System. It is a key control under the European Union's Integrated Administrative and Control System that the Land Parcel Identification System is kept fully up to date. This means that the ineligible areas entered by farmers on the maps submitted to my Department must be re-digitised onto the Land Parcel Identification System. That task is highly technical and must be carried out to a very high standard to preserve the integrity of the system.
I must re-iterate that it is essential that the Land Parcel Identification System, which records details of all land declared under all the area-based schemes, is fully accurate and up to date, given the fact that it underpins total expenditure under these schemes of in excess of €1.8 billion annually. Consequently the system must take account of changes to areas submitted by farmers. Any failings or shortcomings in the Land Parcel Identification System would constitute a breach of the Integrated Administrative and Control System and would leave my Department open to the very real risk of significant EU fines. I am strongly of the view that such a risk which cannot be countenanced as it could compromise the value of direct payments to farmers. This year has proven to a particularly challenging one from the point of view dealing with the volume of maps received while keeping the Land Parcel Identification System up to date and maximising payments made to farmers.
Finally, I set a very demanding schedule of payments for the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, Single Payment Scheme and the Grassland Sheep Scheme form September to December 2010. I intend to adhere to this schedule. In the meantime, multiple payment runs under the Schemes will be made on a weekly basis to pay farmers, whose applications are fully processed and clear. I am confident that, by year-end, the total value of payments, which will have issued to farmers under these Schemes, will be well in excess of €1 billion.
13 Deputy Seán Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the amount of interest payment due to the 17,400 farmers whose farm waste management payments were delayed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40629/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe arrangements for payment of the remaining grants under the Farm Waste Management Scheme on a phased basis were confirmed in early 2009 with 40 per cent being paid in that year as claims were approved. A further instalment of 40 per cent was paid early in 2010 and the final instalment of 20 per cent will be paid in early 2011. At that stage, total expenditure under the Scheme, since its introduction in 2001, will be of the order of €1.2 billion. I also announced that a special ex-gratia payment not exceeding 3.5 per cent of the value of the deferred amount would be made to farmers whose Farm Waste Management grants were partially deferred in the manner set out above. This payment will also be made in early 2011.
