Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. That is an increase now, in fact, in the numbers that are required to repay. The number of those in an overpayment situation is now up to 8,673. There would obviously be a number of those in Galway within significant areas of commonage, special areas of conservation, SACs, and natural heritage areas, NHAs. Therefore, we would have been under the co-operation programme. It has left a bad taste in the mouth alongside what is a very good news story in terms of the injection of cash.

There were delays first. The Minister meant well in providing advance payments, which I know were welcome at the time, but people then had to repay money without back-up information as to why. They did not have the scoring. They received a cheque, and then they were told they had been overpaid and received letters to say this is why. An administrative issue has caused problems. I certainly hope we can get to the bottom of it and get this situation sorted, and that every flexibility is provided to farmers to repay the moneys that were provided by the Department based on its miscalculation.