Written Answers Nos. 696-709
696. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision has been made on the review of a single farm payment overclaim penalty in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1693/14]
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.
697. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 487 of 17 December 2013, when payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1695/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1 November 2010 and full payments have issued in respect of the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Scheme years.
Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. The checking process in respect of the 2013 Scheme year is currently being finalised by my Department and I expect AEOS payment to issue shortly to the person named.
698. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment under the 2013 disadvantaged areas based payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay in issuing this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1699/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas 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. Payment under the 2013 Scheme has not yet issued to the person named as their holding has not yet satisfied the Scheme minimum stocking density requirements. As soon as the holding is confirmed as having met these requirements, the case will be further processed with a view to payment issuing at the earliest possible date thereafter.
699. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment in respect of DAS and SFP will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Galway who appealed a decision, was successful and is still waiting on payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1720/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraA number of commonage parcels declared by the person named on his 2013 Single Payment application have been reviewed by my Department. The applications of the person named will be re-processed taking the results of the review into account. Any additional payments due on foot of this will issue in due course directly to the nominated bank account of the person named.
An official from my Department has been in direct contact with the person named regarding this matter.
700. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will urgently issue a disadvantaged areas scheme payment, a single farm payment and a REP scheme payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1731/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraProcessing of the 2013 Single Payment Scheme / Disadvantaged Areas Scheme application of the person named, received on 30 April 2013, revealed a small over-claim on one of the land parcels declared by the person named. The person named was recently notified of this error by letter. A map of the relevant land parcel and information on how the person named could seek a review were included with the letter.
Payments will shortly issue to the nominated bank account of the person named on the revised eligible area. Should the person named appeal the decision regarding the over-claims and should that appeal be successful, then supplementary payments will, of course, be made.
The person named commenced REPS 4 in June 2009 and received payments for the first five years of their contract.
REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue. This process has been completed for 2013 payments and the 75% Year 6 payment amounting to €1,775.08 issued on 14 January 2014. The 25% balancing payment will issue shortly.
701. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive 2012 and 2013 single farm payments and a disadvantaged areas payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1737/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraFull payment under the 2012 Single Payment Scheme issued to the Representatives of the mother of the person named on 5 December 2013 on receipt of the Grant of Representation to her estate.
Advance payment under the 2013 Single Payment scheme issued directly to the nominated bank account of the person named on 25 November 2013, with the balancing payment issuing on 2 December 2013
Payment under the 2013 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme issued on 15 November 2013, with payment in respect of the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme due to shortly issue to the estate of the deceased.
702. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a lease will be drafted to allow Fingal County Council to proceed with a project in respect of a tourist office (details supplied) in Dublin 13. [1747/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has responsibility for the management, control, operation and development of each of the six State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, including Howth.
My Department is supporting the proposal from Fingal County Council to locate a tourist information kiosk on a site within Howth Fishery Harbour Centre. Discussions with the Council in relation to this project are ongoing.
These discussions centre on ensuring that all the necessary legal and administrative aspects in relation to the project are finalised and in place. My Department, is from a legal perspective, liaising with the CSSO with regard to drafting up the required documentation to formalise arrangements. I would expect a conclusion to this matter in the near future.
703. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision will be made on a 2012 disadvantaged areas scheme payment appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [1751/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named is one of a number of applicants under the 2012 Disadvantaged Areas Scheme, whose cases were impacted upon by the requirement to have achieved a minimum stocking density of 0.3 livestock units per forage hectare in 2011, and who applied for and were refused derogation in this regard. The person named subsequently appealed unsuccessfully to the independently chaired DAS Appeals Committee. The person named was informed accordingly and was advised of his right to pursue the matter with the Office of the Ombudsman.
704. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when single farm payment will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1754/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is currently reviewing the eligibility of land parcels declared by farmers under the Single Payment Scheme and other area-based Direct Payment Schemes. As part of this review a number of ineligible features were identified and removed from the parcels declared by the person named.
The person named was notified of this decision and of his right of appeal. Following an appeal from the person named my Department has now carried out a full review of land parcels with exclusions declared by the person named and can confirm that the appeal is accepted. On this basis, a refund will issue to the person named shortly.
706. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the outcome of the appeal against claw-back imposed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [1765/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named commenced REPS 4 in February 2008 and has received all their payments under this Scheme in which the final Year 6 payments issued in December 2013.
REPS 4 is a measure under the current 2007-13 Rural Development Programme and is subject to EU Regulations which require detailed administrative checks on all applications to be completed before any payments can issue.
The person named was deemed to have over-claimed on Natura lands for the years 2008, 2009 & 2010. The area concerned was 3.11 hectares for each of the three years and a total sum of €1,095 was recouped in November 2013.
The person named has submitted an appeal in respect of application of this claw back. This appeal is currently under review and a decision will issue shortly.
707. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has not yet received an agri-environment option sscheme payment for 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1766/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme with effect from 1 November 2010 and full payments have issued in respect of the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Scheme years.
Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. This application was selected for inspection in 2013. The results for this inspection have now been finalised and payment will issue shortly.
708. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he plans to publish the forest review policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1794/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is currently finalising a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) associated with the forest policy review. The review will be published when this SEA is completed.
709. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is proposed to continue the native woodland scheme for the next round of EU funding for the period 2014-20; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1795/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe new forestry programme for the period 2014 – 2020 is currently being prepared by my Department and the native woodland scheme is being considered as part of these proposals.
