Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 276: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the amount deducted by the European Commission on the closure of a programme in respect of which there were alleged irregularities in implementing forestry measures in the programming period 1994 to 1999; if she will provide details of the allegations and the cases to which they refer; if the Commission imposed penalties; the amount deducted from the final payment partly as a result of allegations of irregularities brought to the attention of the Commission by a private citizen; and the reason for other deductions. [6493/05]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 277: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if any member of staff was reprimanded or is likely to be reprimanded in any way due to the deductions made by the European Commission on the closure of a programme in respect of which there were alleged irregularities in implementing forestry measures in the programming period 1994 to 1999. [6494/05]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if any grantee has been or is likely to be requested to refund forestry grants or premium payments arising out of the investigations which led to the deductions by the European Commission on the closure of a programme in respect of which there were alleged irregularities in implementing forestry measures in the programming period 1994 to 1999. [6495/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 to 278, inclusive, together.

In the context of the closure of the 1994-99 operational programme for agricultural and rural development funding, the European Commission decided that certain expenditure under the forestry sub-programme amounting to €1,061,402 was ineligible for co-funding. The expenditure in question related to staff costs for research and development. No penalties were imposed by the Commission nor were any other deductions made in respect of forestry measures.

It was the view of the Irish authorities at the time that the expenditure in question was eligible, especially since similar expenditure had been deemed eligible under the earlier STRIDE programme. The question of reprimanding any member of staff does not arise. The expenditure deemed ineligible by the Commission was not in respect of the payment of forestry grants or premiums. Consequently, no grantee has been requested to refund grant or premium payments arising out of the Commission's decision in this matter.