Agriculture Schemes Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 December 2013

Wednesday, 4 December 2013

Ceisteanna (137)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

137. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide the latest figures, dating from the start of the year to 28 November 2013, on the number of farmers in County Kerry who have been written to and told they have claimed for what is classified as ineligible ground, that is, ground supposedly covered by trees, furze, bushes, rocks, roads, sheds and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52198/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

During the processing of applications under the Single Payment Scheme, Disadvantaged Areas Schemes and other Direct Payment Schemes, my Department issued approximately 4,000 over-claim letters to farmers situated in Co Kerry. The over-claims would have arisen for a variety of reasons including the processing of 2013 applications with accompanying maps, Satellite inspections and the LPIS Review given rise to the ineligible features being identified. It is not possible at this stage to differentiate between over-claim letters that issued to farmers for the different types of ineligible features that arise such as houses, buildings, forestry, rivers and scrub etc.

However, the level of over-claim in the vast majority of cases would not result in any monetary reduction or if the over-claim was less than 3% or 2 hectares a reduction without penalty on the amount payable.