Brendan Griffin
Ceist:655. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a payment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44988/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 14 September 2022
Ceisteanna (655)
Freagraí scríofa
The Sheep Welfare Scheme is an animal welfare scheme that was introduced in December 2016, initially as a four year scheme. Existing sheep farmers who wished to participate in the scheme were required to submit an application to join the scheme by the closing date of 3rd February 2017.
As set out in the terms and conditions of Year 1 of the scheme, participants in the scheme who wished to continue into Year 2 of the scheme were required to complete and return a Notification of Continuation form to the Department. This form was issued by the Department to all participants in Year 1 of the scheme.
Where a Notification of Continuation form was not completed and returned to the Department by a participant in the scheme, the participant was deemed to have withdrawn from the scheme. As per the terms and conditions of the scheme, where an applicant withdrew from the scheme, it was not possible to rejoin the scheme in subsequent years.
The person named submitted an application to participate in Year 1 of the scheme on 22nd January 2017. The application to join the scheme was successful and the applicant received payment for year 1 of the scheme.
The Department issued the Notification of Continuation sheet to all participants in Year 1 of the scheme. However, the Department has no record of having received the completed Notification of Continuation form from the person named as required under the terms and conditions of the scheme. As a result, the person named was deemed to have withdrawn from the scheme and no payment was due to the person named for Year 2 or subsequent years of the scheme.
Please note my Department will be accepting applications for the new Sheep Improvement Scheme later this year. This scheme, which will replace the existing Sheep Welfare Scheme under the new CAP, will be open to sheep farmers with breeding ewes, including those who had participated in the Sheep Welfare Scheme and subsequently withdrew from the scheme.
Further details regarding the Sheep Improvement Scheme will be published by the Department in advance of the opening of the application facility.