Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 May 2017
221. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 282 of 6 April 2017, the reason the full budget allocation was not used up in 2014, 2015 and 2016; the way in which the underspend accruing in each year was dealt with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22568/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll applications for aid under both the Single Farm Payment and Basic Payment schemes are required to satisfy a number of eligibility requirements before payment can be made on foot of the application.
In each scheme year, a number of applications for payment fail to meet these requirements and the Department is therefore not in a position to make payment on these applications.
As a result, the total value of payments made in each scheme year may be lower than the total maximum value of payments allowed for in each scheme year.
The ceilings set by the Commission are the maximum payment amount allowable within the scheme for each year. Where the ceiling has not been utilised in full, these amounts remain available to the member states to pay applicants who subsequently become eligible for payment.
