Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 November 2015
265. Deputy John Perry asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will intervene in the decision not to award payment under the disadvantaged areas scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim who is short of the minimum stock level by only 0.6 units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40089/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme was received from the person named on 27 May 2015. Payment has not issued to the person named as, at this stage, the holding concerned has not satisfied the Scheme’s minimum stocking density requirements. Under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme, eligible applicants are required to have met a minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units for a retention period of seven consecutive months and to maintain an annual average of 0.15 livestock units calculated over the twelve months of the scheme year.
Department records confirm that the person named held sufficient livestock to meet the minimum requirements of the scheme for the period from 1 January 2015 through to 21 May 2015, at which time animals were sold from the holding by private sale. As the holding failed to maintain the minimum livestock numbers for the required period of seven consecutive months, the holding cannot be considered eligible for payment under the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme.
