Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 January 2014
678. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal did not receive a disadvantaged areas payment in 2013 and also received a reduced single farm payment for 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1467/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraA review of the land declared by the person named under the Single Payment Scheme revealed that the eligible area of several land parcels was over-declared. An official from my Department will carry out a land verification check to determine the eligibility issues. A letter has issued to the person named advising him of the position.
Payment under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme has not yet issued as, at this stage, the holding concerned has not yet satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements for 2013. Under the 2013 Scheme, in addition to maintaining 0.15 livestock units for a minimum retention period of seven consecutive months, applicants were also required to maintain an annual average of 0.15 livestock units calculated over the 12 months of the scheme year.
An exercise to take account of December 2013 data, which has recently become available, is currently ongoing and is scheduled to be completed before the end of January, thereby establishing the definitive position of the holding of the person named and other similarly affected scheme applicants. Should that re-validation confirm that the holding has satisfied the Scheme requirements, the case will be further processed with a view to payment issuing at the earliest possible date thereafter.
