Single Payment Scheme
The Single Farm Payment forms a significant part of the annual income of the farming community in Ireland. It is clear that the timing of this payment is extremely important to farmers, particularly those farmers with low farm incomes. It is also important in the current difficult financial circumstances where farmers, like other sectors in the economy, are finding it very difficult to access credit. Therefore, I decided that I would seek the approval of the EU Commission to make an advance payment of the SFP from16 October 2011, the first day of the new EU financial year.
In the event that such approval is forthcoming, I am confident that the necessary inspections will be completed in sufficient time to allow the advance payments begin issuing as and from 16 October.
It is a requirement of the EU Regulations that all eligibility checks are initiated prior to the commencement of payments under the Single Farm Payment, Disadvantaged Area Scheme and other area-based Schemes. I am, however, satisfied that all of the eligibility inspections will be initiated in order that the payments can commence as already outlined and that the maximum number of payments can be made before the end of the calendar year.
Disadvantaged Areas Scheme
The necessary progress in processing applications is being made which will ensure delivery of payments under the 2011 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme to the farmers concerned, as and from the latter half of September 2011. Furthermore, I have decided that the full amount due will issue at that stage, unlike last year, when an advance payment was made, at a rate of 75 per cent.
While there is no regulatory timeframe laid down as regards the timing of payments under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, my Department has committed to making payments as early as possible. It is recognised that second half of September is the earliest date payments can realistically commence following the processing of applications and the initiation of all eligibility inspections, which is a requirement of the EU Regulation and I am satisfied that the necessary inspections will be completed in sufficient time to allow Disadvantaged Area payments to commence, as usual, in the latter half of September.
The payments under the Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme are dependent on the participants in the Scheme completing the registration of the events required under the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme. Payments to farmers are made on an ongoing basis as soon as the events registered by the participants in the Scheme are verified and found to satisfy all of the requirements of the Scheme.
All REPS 4 payments will be made in accordance with the Farmers Charter.
To date, 85 per cent of REPS 3 valid applications are being scheduled for payment within 8 weeks, and 100 per cent of those approved are paid within 1 month.
In relation to the —
Farm Improvement Scheme;
Dairy Hygiene Scheme;
Young Farmers' Installation Scheme;
Pig Welfare Scheme; and
Alternative Enterprises Scheme;
I can confirm that my Department will endeavour to ensure that all payments under the above Schemes will be processed within the periods referred to in the Farmers' Charter.
All payments under the Farm Waste Management Scheme have now effectively been made. In the case of the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Schemes (TAMS), the current Farmers' Charter does not set out any commitments, but again my Department will endeavour to ensure that processing of applications/payments takes place as speedily as possible.
Over 90 per cent of all valid applications for approval and payment under the Afforestation Scheme are within the targets set out in the Farmers Charter.
All compensation payments under the TSE Eradication Programmes are processed and paid within the agreed time-frame.
ERAD compensation schemes are processed in compliance with the provisions set out in the Farmers' Charter. I am satisfied that the payment commitments are and will be adhered to by my Department in 2011.