Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise the closing date of 15 May for applications to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for benefit under the single farm payment scheme, the disadvantaged areas scheme, REPS, the energy crop scheme and protein crop scheme. This might well be one of the shortest contributions on an Adjournment debate but it will probably be one of the more important this year with regard to the agricultural community.

I have in my possession documentation from the Department, SPS document 08. The official Department document states, "Please note the closing date for submission of 2008 applications and supporting documentation is 31 May 2008." I will give that personally to the Minister, whom I am delighted to see in the Chamber.

The reason I raise this matter is that the value of single farm payments, as a result of their defined nature, is declining year on year in real terms. We have now seen modulation proposals from the CAP reform. It is simply unacceptable for any farmer to lose a percentage of his payment by virtue of submitting a late application. The Minister knows as well as I and any representative of a rural constituency the pressure under which Teagasc offices and independent agricultural consultants worked over the past weeks when trying to get the maximum number of applications in by 15 May. Significant effort was made. I am sure the Minister will tell me tonight that of possibly 130,000 applications, the vast majority have been submitted.

There was conflicting advice on official Department documentation, as well as an almost impossible deadline for agriculture consultants, Teagasc and otherwise, to meet — 15 May. I reiterate that the conflicting documentation states clearly, "Please note the closing date for submission of 2008 applications and supporting documentation is 31 May 2008."

I ask the Minister to address this in the interests of farmers and to ensure nobody suffers an undue penalty. There is a 1% penalty per day on late application up to the end of May. In order to ensure nobody suffers an undue penalty and loss of income in difficult times, given the small number of applications concerned, I ask the Minister to accept that all applications received in the Department after 15 May and up to the end of this month should be documented and approved for full payment without penalty.

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