Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 April 2016
182. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine why the young farmers' payment was refused to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; the income threshold that is used in such decisions; if pensions are reckonable in such calculations; if appeals are allowed; if issues surrounding pension income are detailed in the terms and conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7667/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe persons named submitted applications under the ‘young farmer’ category of the 2015 National Reserve and the Young Farmers’ Scheme with the second person named as the ‘young farmer’. The application to the National Reserve was not successful as the applicants were deemed to have exceeded the €40,000 income threshold. The application to the Young Farmers’ Scheme was not successful as the applicants held no activated entitlements in 2015, the basis upon which the Young Farmers ’ Scheme is paid. The applicants were notified of the decisions in relation to the National Reserve and Young Farmers’ Scheme applications in writing and were offered the opportunity to submit an appeal.
My Department has now received an appeal from the persons named in relation to their National Reserve application. This appeal will be considered by my Department based on the information set out by the applicants and a decision with regard to the outcome of the appeal will be notified in writing to the applicants as soon as possible.
The process of deciding objective criteria for the National Reserve is carried out in consultation with the Direct Payments Advisory Committee which includes members of the main farming bodies and advisory services. After consultation with this Committee it was decided that an off farm income limit of €40,000 would be applied to all applicants under the 2015 National Reserve. The corresponding off farm income limit under the previous National Reserve was €30,000. Applicants under the 2015 National Reserve also have the flexibility of choosing either the 2013 or 2014 tax year, whichever is more advantageous.
The Terms and Conditions of the National Reserve clearly state that for joint applicants under the National Reserve, such as in the case of the persons named, the gross off-farm income of all persons named on the herd number is taken into consideration. The Department of Social Protection ‘State Pension’, including Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension is excluded from the calculation to determine off-farm income. Retirement pensions resulting from other employment are reckonable as off-farm income under the 2015 National Reserve.
