Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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55. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications received under the disadvantaged areas scheme in 2013; the number of applications that have been examined and cleared for payment; the number of applications that have been examined where issues have arisen and if the farmers have been contacted in relation to these issues; the number that remain to be examined and the latest date that the examination of these applications will be complete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39522/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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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.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

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.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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How many applications were received? That was part of the question. How many applications have been examined? That was part of the question. I understand from the Minister's answer that 60,000 have been cleared for payment. How many applications have been examined where issues have arisen? I did not get that answer. What number of farmers have been contacted to date? Stocking density is not the only issue that arises with the DAS. Other issues arise. The Department has had these applications for four months, since 15 May. How many farmers have been contacted? There were many specific questions here, but I did not get an answer to many of them. How many have been contacted in respect of issues with the DAS, and not just in respect of issues with stocking density?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I will see what exact data I can get for the Deputy, but I have given quite a lot of detail on the number of farmers who are not eligible at the moment but who have applied. I will try to get more detail, but the Deputy will struggle to find any other country in the European Union that is paying out the percentages that we are paying to farmers this week. All of the farmers who are eligible for payments are receiving them this week. We are early on this and we are making as many payments as possible, but there are complications with many applications and we will work through them and try to get them sorted as quickly as we can. There will be two payments made each week from now on so that we can finalise as many payments as possible before the end of the year. The Deputy knows that is perfectly normal. In fact, we are probably ahead of schedule.