Written Answers Nos. 163 - 173
163. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo did not receive their disadvantaged area payment for 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21875/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn order to comply with EU requirements, the applicant was one of a number selected for inspection under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Area Scheme.
This inspection identified discrepancies between the area declared and the area found for the Single Payment Scheme which while not significant enough to incur a penalty did result in a reduction to payment as per the Terms and Conditions of the scheme. The person named was informed of this decision on the 2 January 2014 and was also informed of his right to have the outcome reviewed.
Under the Disadvantaged Area Scheme, a claimed are of 30.65ha of Mountain Type land was reduced to a found area of 22.83ha. This resulted in an over-declaration of the Mountain Type Crop Category of 34.25%. As per the Terms and Conditions of the scheme where the difference between the area claimed and the area found for the crop category concerned is greater than 20%, no payment shall be made in respect of this crop group for the scheme year in question.
A review of this decision was received on the 29 January 2014 and a letter upholding the original outcome issued on the 13 May 2014. The person named was also informed of their right to appeal the outcome of the review to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office within 3 months of the date of the review.
164. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the outcome of the appeal on single farm payment and disadvantaged area payment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21907/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for Single Farm Payment/Disadvantaged areas scheme was received from the person named on 28 June 2013. As the closing date for receipt of applications was 15 May 2013, a 100% late penalty was imposed, as per the Terms and Conditions of the Schemes. The person named was informed on the 3rd of July 2013 of this decision. He responded to this notification on 24 of July seeking a review of the decision. He was informed on 12 August that the decision was upheld following review and of his right to appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office. The person named has made such an appeal and has been informed on 29 April 2014 by the Agriculture Appeals Office of the decision to disallow his appeal.
165. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding an appeal of 2013 disadvantaged area scheme and single farm payment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21910/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraA review of the lands declared by the person named under the Single Payment Scheme in 2012 and 2013 revealed that a number of land parcels declared ontained ineligible features.
In order to clarify the position regarding the area of any ineligible features my Department arranged for a ground verification check to be undertaken. This verification check has been completed and the results are now being finalised. The person named will be notified of the outcome shortly.
In the event that the person named is dissatisfied with the outcome of this verification check, the decision can be appealed to the independent LPIS Appeals Committee, within 3 months of the notification letter.
166. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the inspection and appeal of 2013 disadvantaged area scheme and single farm payment in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21911/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraA review of the lands declared by the person named under the Single Payment Scheme in 2012 and 2013 revealed that a number of land parcels declared contained ineligible features.
In order to clarify the position regarding the area of the ineligible features my Department arranged for a ground verification check to be undertaken. This verification check has been completed and the results have been finalised. A letter detailing the outcome of the ground verification check issued to the person named on 12 May 2014.
In the event that the person named is dissatisfied with the outcome of this verification check, the decision can be appealed to the independent LPIS Appeals Committee, within 3 months.
167. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Clare will receive their herd number; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21913/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll issues relating to this application have now been resolved and the applicant has been advised of the herdnumber which has been allocated.
168. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 22 of 08 May 2014, if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the €1.18 million funding approved by him for the maintenance and development of the Howth Fishery Harbour Centre. [21923/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraHowth Fishery Harbour Centre is one of the six designated Fishery Harbour Centres, which are owned, managed and maintained by my Department.
The following is a breakdown of the funding approved for projects at Howth Fishery Harbour Centre under the 2014 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme.
|
Project |
Approved Funding |
|
Safety & Maintenance |
€310,000 |
|
Disability Access |
€20,000 |
|
Upgrading of Electrical System |
€500,000 |
|
Design & Planning for pontoons between Middle & West pier |
€100,000 |
|
Syncrolift platform painting and repairs |
€80,000 |
|
Upgrading of Navigational Lights & Markers |
€20,000 |
|
East Pier Repairs |
€150,000 |
|
Total |
€1,180,000 |
169. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 22 of 08 May 2014, if he or his officials will consider meeting fishery harbour users to discuss suggestions for the development and improvement of the facilities at the Howth Fishery Harbour Centre. [21924/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Howth Harbour Users Forum was held at the Coast Guard Building, West Pier, Howth on 23 January 2014. This Forum was attended by a number of my Department’s officials. Invitations issued to Howth Fishery Harbour Users to attend and they were asked in advance to provide information on any general harbour issues which they wished to have included on the Forum agenda. One of the items on the agenda was an update on harbour improvements, which included works done to date and what is planned for the future.
The development and upkeep of Howth as a state of the art Fishery Harbour Centre, supporting a broad range of marine related activities is and will remain an ongoing process. It is envisaged that Harbour Users Forums will be held twice yearly, but no date for the next Forum at Howth has been fixed at this point. My Department’s officials are also available to meet harbour users collectively or individually as the need arises.
170. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a single farm payment appeal will be finalised in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21927/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraA review of the land parcels declared by the person named under the 2013 Single Payment Scheme revealed that several of the land parcels declared by the person named contained ineligible features. Following the review of my Department’s decision, sought by the person named, a visit by a Department official to verify the position on the ground is necessary. The person named will be advised, in writing, of the findings of the verification visit as soon as possible following the visit.
171. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding an AEOS application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21939/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named was approved for participation in the 2010 Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 1) with effect from 1 November 2010 and has received full payment in respect of the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Scheme years.
During a ground inspection which took place on 12 December 2013, the person named was found to be non-compliant in respect of the Additional New Hedgerow Establishment action. The person named was advised of these non compliances in writing and given the option of appeal. An appeal was received by my Department and following a review of the file, it was decided to uphold the original findings. On 6 March 2014 a letter issued to the person named informing them of this and giving the option of further appeal to the Agriculture Appeals Office.
To date, no appeal has been received in the Agriculture Appeals Office. My Department is processing the application for payment based on the findings found on Inspection and payment, less penalties for the 2013 scheme year, will issue shortly.
172. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding an AEOS application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21940/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person named was approved for participation in the Agri-Environment Options Scheme (AEOS 3) with effect from 1 May 2013.
Under the EU Regulations governing the Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System, must be completed before any payment can issue. These checks are underway and it is expected that payment will issue shortly.
173. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be permitted to substitute a task that was completed in conjunction with two other tasks for a sheep technology substitute programme group application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21952/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn order to qualify for payment under the 2013 Sheep Technology Adoption Programme participants were required to attend four meetings and satisfactorily complete two Tasks, chosen from a menu of 10 Tasks. One of the two Tasks chosen by the person named (Task 5, relating to soil sampling) did not comply with the requirements of the Programme, as the person named was also a participant in AEOS 2. The Terms and Conditions of the 2013 Programme clearly precluded AEOS 2 participants from selecting Task 5 as one of their qualifying Tasks under the 2013 Programme. The closing date for selecting tasks was 30 April 2013, and the closing date for receipt of amended tasks was 4 October 2013. It is not possible to amend tasks after the October deadline, accordingly, no payment is due to the person named under the 2013 Programme.
