Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 June 2017
453. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding penalties on a farm payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30048/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe penalty applied under the 2016 Basic Payment Scheme relates to breaches of Cross Compliance requirements. Under the Terms and Conditions of the Basic Payment Scheme and other area-based schemes, an applicant as well as meeting the scheme criteria, must comply with EU regulatory requirements relating to Cross Compliance.
An inspection was carried out by my Department's Agri-Environment Schemes Division on 27 July 2016. The inspector reported a breach relating to the cross compliance requirements in respect of the GAEC Standard relating to landscape features. In this instance the person named had removed hedgerows and had not re-instated them as required. This breach resulted in a 5% penalty being applied against the 2016 Direct Schemes payments.
The person named was notified of this decision on 28 November 2016. A review of this decision was requested, the outcome of which was to up-hold the original inspection findings. The person named was notified of this decision on 8 June 2017.
It is open to the person named to appeal this decision to the independent Agriculture Appeals Office, within 3 months of the date of the review outcome letter. I understand that to date no such request has been received by that office.
