I can confirm that the balancing payments under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme began issuing on 1 December, in line with the very ambitious payments targets I set for my Department in early October. Payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme have been ongoing since they commenced on 22 September. I am confident that, by year-end, payments to farmers nationally will have exceeded €1.35 billion under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) and the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (DAS).
In relation to Waterford, the position under the Single Payment Scheme is that there were 2,420 eligible applicants. To date 1,805 applicants have been fully paid and 551 applicants partially paid. Total payments under the Scheme are in excess of €35.18 million. As regards the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, the position is that 1,336 applicants have been paid over €2.87 million and there are a further 142 applicants awaiting payment, many of whom are currently not eligible for payment as they do not meet the minimum stocking requirement of 0.15 livestock units per hectare.
I can confirm that every effort is being made to clear remaining cases for payment at the earliest possible date and, to this end, payment runs continue to be made on alternate days, between the two Schemes.