An application under the Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on the 7 April 2010.
This application was selected for and was the subject of a Ground Eligibility and Animal Identification Inspection. The inspection process is complete and the results are now being processed.
Under EU regulations governing the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and the Single Payment Scheme all Ground Eligibility Inspections must be completed before any payment can issue to any applicant under either scheme, including those not selected for a Ground Eligibility Inspection.
In the vast majority of cases that were inspected amendments have had to be made to the maps in order that the Land Parcel Identification System that is used for making payments to farmers is kept up-to-date. Processing of these changes is continuing with priority being given to applications that were the subject of a Ground Eligibility Inspection. In addition, the person named also submitted an application under Category B of the 2010 National Reserve. This category caters for new entrants to farming after 15 May 2008. New entrants are also required to meet certain criteria including educational qualifications and on and off farm income limits.
While the person named meets the current requirements for New Entrants for the 2010 National Reserve, it is not possible to make a final decision on his application until such time as the Inspection results are fully processed.
The REPS payment application for the person named cannot be progressed until the Single Payment issues detailed above are finalised.