My Department has received 122,271 applications under the Single Payment Scheme from applicants who already have entitlements or have applied for the transfer of entitlements under the Scheme. In the case of the Single Farm Payment, the earliest payment date under the governing EU rules is 1 December. However, earlier this year, in recognition of the difficult financial situation faced by many farmers, I successfully sought the approval of the Commissioner to have advance payments made from 16 October. This will now allow us to make 50% advance payments to those applicants whose applications are confirmed fully clear, with effect from 16 October. Balancing payments will commence with effect from 1 December.
The benefit in making these payments six weeks earlier than otherwise provided for under the existing rules of the scheme will be particularly beneficial at this time and I expect that these advance payments will result in some €600 million issuing to farmers from 16 October.
The processing of applications under the Single Payment Scheme is a complex administrative task and one that remains a top priority for my Department. In this regard I have allocated additional resources to the task thereby ensuring that the maximum number of applicants receive their advance payment at the earliest possible date.
The Single Payment Scheme is fully funded by the European Union and the relevant Competent Authorities in each Member State are obliged to ensure that the requirements of the governing EU Regulations are observed and that only valid applications that fully comply with the requirements are paid. The administration of the Scheme in each Member State is subjected to close scrutiny by officials of the EU Commission and the EU Court of Auditors to ensure that the regulatory requirements are met and that the Schemes are applied in a uniform manner across the European Union.
All applications under the Scheme are subject to administrative checks, with a further 5% also subject to land eligibility inspections. The land eligibility confirms compliance with EU legislation in the areas of the environment, food safety, animal health and welfare and plant health and ensuring that the farm is maintained in good agricultural and environmental condition.
Where issues preventing payment are identified contact is immediately made with the applicant concerned in order to resolve the query. Work is well underway in resolving the queries that have arisen following these checks and farmers are being contacted as necessary. In addition to resolving the simpler queries by phone, officials in my Department have nearly 11,000 query letters to farmers.
