Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 December 2019
549. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the waiting times for the various payment schemes operated by his Department, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53409/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in tabular form below. Applications under all the schemes are subject to strict validation and approval processes to ensure the legality, regularity and accuracy of payments. Payments are issued when these processes are complete.
|
Scheme |
Payment Timeline |
|
ANC |
Under the terms and conditions of the Areas of Natural Constraints Scheme, applications must be submitted by the closing date of 15th May each year. 2019 advance payments of 85% commenced to valid, clear applications in September. Balancing payments of 15% commenced in December, in line with EU regulatory requirements |
|
BPS |
Under the terms and conditions of the Basic Payment Scheme, applications must be submitted by the closing date of 15th May each year. EU regulations stipulate that payment cannot commence before 16th October. 2019 - advance payments of 70% commenced to valid, clear applications on that date. Balancing payments of 30% commenced from 1st December. |
|
TAMS |
Eligible TAMS payments are paid within set targets as follows Approval for payment within 2 months following receipt of the claim for payment (including all required supporting documentation) and the completion of investments; Payments issue within 3 weeks of approval for payment when it has been determined that approved work has been completed in accordance with the terms and conditions of the scheme. |
|
GLAS |
GLAS advance payments are made after BPS advance payments and commence in November once all validation checks are complete and continue on a weekly basis as cases pass validation. GLAS balancing payments issue when all the required on farm inspections have been carried out and normally commence the following May and continue on a weekly basis as cases pass validation. |
|
Organics |
Payment under the Organic Farming Scheme commenced in November and will continue as applications pass all the prepayment validations. |
|
Forestry |
Under the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme and other support schemes such as the Woodland Improvement Scheme, Forest Road Scheme, and Reconstitution Schemes, grant payments commence within 6 weeks for non-inspection cases and within 12 weeks for inspection cases. In respect of Forestry Knowledge Transfer Groups, payments are made following receipt of complete payment applications by the end of each fiscal year. |
|
Burren Scheme & EIP |
Payment under these schemes commenced in November and will continue as applications pass all the pre-payment validations. |
|
Knowledge Transfer |
Year 3 of the Knowledge Transfer Scheme ended at the end of July, 2019. Payments commenced in respect of Year 3 at the end of September 2019. |
|
Sheep Welfare Scheme |
The Sheep Welfare Scheme is a four year scheme, with each year opening for renewals and new entrants in January. Year 3 opened in January 2019. Advance payments for Year 3 commenced in November, 2019 with balancing payments due to commence in Quarter 2 of 2020. |
|
Beef Data and Genomics Programmes |
The Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) was launched in 2015. It is a five year programme and forms part of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. A second programme, BDGP II, was launched in 2017 and will run until 2022. Payments in respect of 2019 commenced on the week of the 2nd of December 2019. Payments will continue to issue on an on-going basis as more farmers verify their compliance with the 2019 scheme requirements. |
|
Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot |
Applications to participate in the Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot were accepted between 4th and 22nd February 2019. Payments to participants who had carried out the required actions in respect of all of their eligible animals commenced in October 2019. |
|
Beef Exceptional Aid Measure |
Applications for the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure were accepted from 19th August to 20th September 2019. Payments under the measure started to issue on the week commencing the 9th of December 2019. |
Over €1.72bn has issued directly to farmers under various schemes administered by my Department since September, 2019.
