Payments under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme have issued to in excess of 126,000 beneficiaries (over 99% of eligible applicants). The total amount paid to date is €1,185m. Processing of the outstanding cases is continuing with payment runs being carried out on a weekly basis. In excess of 130,000 applications were received under the Basic Payment Scheme in 2016. Processing of these applications is currently underway. Under European Union legislation governing the implementation of the BPS, the earliest date on which advance payments may be made, in respect of fully processed and clear applications, is 16 October of this year.
Just under 104,000 applications were received under the 2015 Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) and Areas of Specific Constraints (Islands) Scheme, of which 96,280 applications have been paid in excess of €204m to date. Of those applications outstanding, many are currently not meeting the eligibility requirements and therefore will not become eligible for payment. Processing of remaining eligible cases is continuing with payment runs being carried out on a weekly basis. Payments under the 2016 Areas of Natural Constraints and Areas of Specific Constraints (Island) Scheme can only commence once the rigorous set of checks and controls required by EU regulation are completed. As with previous years, payments for the 2016 scheme are scheduled to begin issuing in the third week of September.
Approximately 22,000 GLAS 1 applications due an outstanding 2015 payment, which in the majority of cases (20,500) represents the 2015 balancing payment, are currently being processed with a view to having the outstanding amounts issue as soon as possible. Approximately, 700 outstanding AEOS cases are currently being processed and any payments due will be made in all cases on an ongoing basis as issues are resolved. In relation to 2016 payments AEOS and GLAS payments are issued on a yearly basis following a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identification System. These checks take place in the last quarter of each year, and the 2016 scheme payment will be processed once these checks are finalised.
Of the almost 25,000 herds that continue to participate in the BDGP full or part payments amounting to €40m have issued to in excess of 22,000 herds in respect of the 2015 scheme year. Part payments were made where not all of the required data and genotyping samples had been submitted. Payments continue to be made on an ongoing basis as compliance is verified. My Department has recently written to those herds who have outstanding data and/or genotyping samples reminding them to submit these by 29 July. Supplementary payments will be made to those herds who have submitted the additional data and genotyping in the coming weeks. Payments in respect of the 2016 scheme year will commence in December following the completion of the required administrative checks.
Payments under the 2015 Sheep Technology Adoption Programme (STAP) have issued to approximately 3,500 applicants. In order to qualify for payment participants were required to both attend five meetings and satisfactorily complete two tasks. Processing of appeals cases is reaching completion with a payment run this week for outstanding cases.
