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Agri-Environment Options Scheme Payments

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 May 2013

Wednesday, 8 May 2013

Ceisteanna (24)

Micheál Martin

Ceist:

24. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers that have not yet been paid their 2011 and 2012 agri-environment options scheme 1 and AEOS 2 payments; the percentage in each case, broken down on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21475/13]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Under the EU Regulations governing the scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check of all applications, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue.

Successive EU audits have made it absolutely clear that compliance with the Regulations must be strictly adhered to and that all administrative checks must be passed and eligibility conditions met before payment issues. As a result, my Department is obliged to ensure that individual payments will not issue until all aspects of a farmer’s application are in order, all outstanding documentation provided and all queries resolved.

Outstanding payments under both AEOS I and AEOS II are largely due to unresolved queries associated with applications and in most instances officials in my Department will have contacted the applicants concerned with the intention of issuing payment as soon as possible. There is a specific issue delaying payments under AEOS 2 related to non productive capital investments. In order to facilitate the 2012 payment applicants must have submitted a valid claim form, if they have selected a non-productive capital investment action. However a significant number of applicants have either not submitted a claim form or have outstanding queries associated with submitted forms. Officials in my Department have been in contact with all these farmers and are dealing with the responses received with the intention of clearing any backlog as soon as possible.

The payment information requested by the Deputy is provided as follows.

AEOS 1 - 2011

County

Total

%

Carlow

4

1.65

Cavan

9

3.70

Clare

9

3.70

Cork

33

13.58

Donegal

14

5.76

Dublin

1

0.41

Galway

29

11.93

Kerry

14

5.76

Kildare

6

2.47

Kilkenny

8

3.29

Laois

6

2.47

Leitrim

5

2.06

Limerick

17

7.00

Longford

2

0.82

Louth

1

0.41

Mayo

10

4.12

Meath

6

2.47

Monaghan

6

2.47

Offaly

8

3.29

Roscommon

7

2.88

Sligo

6

2.47

Tipperary

15

6.17

Waterford

5

2.06

Westmeath

8

3.29

Wexford

7

2.88

Wicklow

7

2.88

Grand Total

243

AEOS 1 - 2012

County

Total

%

Carlow

13

1.13

Cavan

40

3.49

Clare

42

3.66

Cork

103

8.99

Donegal

66

5.76

Dublin

4

0.35

Galway

157

13.70

Kerry

46

4.01

Kildare

14

1.22

Kilkenny

52

4.54

Laois

30

2.62

Leitrim

64

5.58

Limerick

44

3.84

Longford

16

1.40

Louth

4

0.35

Mayo

120

10.47

Meath

16

1.40

Monaghan

29

2.53

Offaly

22

1.92

Roscommon

46

4.01

Sligo

27

2.36

Tipperary

61

5.32

Waterford

24

2.09

Westmeath

37

3.23

Wexford

43

3.75

Wicklow

26

2.27

Grand Total

1146

AEOS 2 - 2011

County

Total

%

Carlow

4

0.70

Cavan

13

2.26

Clare

18

3.13

Cork

55

9.57

Donegal

56

9.74

Dublin

3

0.52

Galway

92

16.00

Kerry

28

4.87

Kildare

5

0.87

Kilkenny

14

2.43

Laois

7

1.22

Leitrim

19

3.30

Limerick

22

3.83

Longford

12

2.09

Louth

4

0.70

Mayo

76

13.22

Meath

12

2.09

Monaghan

10

1.74

Offaly

4

0.70

Roscommon

37

6.43

Sligo

24

4.17

Tipperary

24

4.17

Waterford

9

1.57

Westmeath

4

0.70

Wexford

13

2.26

Wicklow

10

1.74

Grand Total

575

AEOS 2 - 2012

County

Total

%

Carlow

13

0.52

Cavan

72

2.90

Clare

105

4.23

Cork

170

6.84

Donegal

251

10.10

Dublin

4

0.16

Galway

359

14.45

Kerry

128

5.15

Kildare

21

0.85

Kilkenny

67

2.70

Laois

24

0.97

Leitrim

94

3.78

Limerick

100

4.03

Longford

50

2.01

Louth

12

0.48

Mayo

300

12.08

Meath

51

2.05

Monaghan

59

2.38

Offaly

40

1.61

Roscommon

163

6.56

Sligo

92

3.70

Tipperary

152

6.12

Waterford

30

1.21

Westmeath

50

2.01

Wexford

51

2.05

Wicklow

26

1.05

Grand Total

2484

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