Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 February 2014
649. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way the new single farm payment scheme will impact on a farm enterprise (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8372/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to preface my comments by saying that several details of the new Basic Payment Scheme remain to be agreed on including matters which may directly impact on the person the subject of this question, as such it is not possible at this time to state with certainty the impact the new Basic Payment Scheme will have on this individual. When considering the impact of the transition from the current Single Payment Scheme to the new Basic Payment Scheme, there are three ‘reference points’ to be considered.
Any farmer who received a direct payment in 2013 (Single Payment, Grassland Sheep Scheme, Burren Life Scheme, Beef Data Scheme) is automatically eligible to receive an allocation of entitlements under the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015. It is presumed that the Company received such a payment in 2013 and therefore holds the ‘allocation right’.
The number of entitlements that will be allocated to a farmer under the new Basic Payment Scheme will be based on the number of eligible hectares the farmer declares in 2013 and 2015, whichever is less. As the Company declared the land in 2013, and will presumably declare the land in 2015, the Company also holds this land reference point.
The method for establishing the value of entitlements in 2015 for Companies remains the subject of negotiation with the EU Commission and will not be finalised until the publication of the Delegated Act for Direct Payments.
