Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 345: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when single farm payment, disadvantaged area scheme and REP scheme payment will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; if same can now be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46402/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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An application under the Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on the 7 April 2010.

This application was selected for and was the subject of a Ground Eligibility and Animal Identification Inspection. The inspection process is complete and the results are now being processed.

Under EU regulations governing the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and the Single Payment Scheme all Ground Eligibility Inspections must be completed before any payment can issue to any applicant under either scheme, including those not selected for a Ground Eligibility Inspection.

In the vast majority of cases that were inspected amendments have had to be made to the maps in order that the Land Parcel Identification System that is used for making payments to farmers is kept up-to-date. Processing of these changes is continuing with priority being given to applications that were the subject of a Ground Eligibility Inspection. In addition, the person named also submitted an application under Category B of the 2010 National Reserve. This category caters for new entrants to farming after 15 May 2008. New entrants are also required to meet certain criteria including educational qualifications and on and off farm income limits.

While the person named meets the current requirements for New Entrants for the 2010 National Reserve, it is not possible to make a final decision on his application until such time as the Inspection results are fully processed.

The REPS payment application for the person named cannot be progressed until the Single Payment issues detailed above are finalised.

Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 346: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will arrange payment under the single payment scheme and disadvantaged areas scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny whose application has been cleared for payment by the Department. [46421/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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An application under the Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on the 27 April 2010. This application was selected for and was the subject of a Ground Eligibility and Animal Identification Inspection.

The inspection process is completed and the application has now been fully processed. Payment under the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and the Single Payment Scheme issued on 1 December.

Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 347: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the position regarding an application for single farm payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [46464/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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An application under the 2010 Single Payment Scheme/Disadvantaged Areas Scheme was received from the person named on 6 May 2010. The 50% advance payment under the Single Payment Scheme, which issued on 18 October and the 75% advance payment under the Disadvantaged Area Scheme, which issued on 29 September, were on the basis of those parcels cleared for payment at that stage.

A number of parcels listed on the application of the person named required re-digitisation; following which, an issue arose regarding an over-claim in respect of one land parcel. My Department has written to the person named on 15 November and again on 26 November regarding this matter. An official from my Department will contact the person named directly with a view to resolving this query.