Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Payments under the 2013 disadvantaged areas scheme will begin issuing, on target, tomorrow, 25 September. While there is no regulatory date by which payments must commence, it is generally recognised - and indeed acknowledged in the farmers’ charter - that the third week in September of any given year is the earliest feasible payment date, given the volume and complexity of processing involved. Although payments will begin issuing tomorrow, I should emphasise that payments runs thereafter continue on a twice-weekly basis, with individual cases being paid as they are confirmed eligible.

However, many applicants who declare land situated in a disadvantaged area are not eligible for payment under the scheme. Many of these applicants do not maintain any animals, and those who do do not keep sufficient livestock to meet the minimum stocking density of 0.15 livestock units per hectare. This is a normal feature of the disadvantaged area scheme. For example, in excess of 5,000 applicants under the 2012 DAS scheme were found to be non-compliant, as they had insufficient stocking density on their holdings. The figure for 2013 is almost 10,000, in addition to which there are in excess of 6,000 applicants who held no stock during 2013. However, many of those currently showing as having insufficient stock will ultimately satisfy the requirement. With the minimum retention period being seven consecutive months, there will be a steady flow of cases each month where compliance with this retention period will be confirmed, thereby allowing payments to be made.

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In addition, in excess of 15,000 applications have been identified with area related issues. These are being addressed and resolved though direct correspondence with the individual applicants, in line with normal procedures. As individual cases are resolved, they will be processed further immediately, with a view to payment being made as soon as possible thereafter.

In so far as the initial payment run is concerned, I can confirm that payments worth more than €125 million are issuing tomorrow to more than 60,000 applicants, and payments will continue to be made on a twice-weekly basis thereafter. I am confident that by year end, the cumulative value of payments that will have issued under the 2013 scheme will be in the region of €190 million.

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